Collateral Nascence
by fruttitutti
Summary: With all her loved ones dead - and dying herself - Sakura desperately forms a contract with a ten-tailed Nekomata and is brought back six years into the past with a mission to save everyone from their imminent deaths. Action, jinchuuriki-Sakura, SasuSak
1. The Beginning of the End

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, its storyline, or characters. However, this fanfiction is based on Naruto, and is my creation. THE GENERAL PLOTLINE WAS INSPIRED BY **-brezoflower- **'s story, ****If I Knew Then What I Know Now****! Read her story too, it's awesome. XD**

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**C O L L A T E R A L - N A S C E N C E**

_**Second Beginnings**_

_**Chapter One: The Beginning of the End  
**_

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_Must keep running - I MUST! _Sakura's mind screamed as she hurtled through blue-misted, foreign woods.

The eighteen-year old clutched at her wounded shoulder, her arm flapping uselessly at her broken ribcage. She stumbled painfully on an ancient root poking from the earthen ground and recovered herself quickly. However, she felt - she knew...her enemy was drawing near, looming with the heady feeling of death and carnage.

_Dead..._the archaic willows and oaks moaned to her, tossing their branches and dying leaves. Sakura let out a strangled sob. _They're all dead..._

She blundered on, skidding to a stop when she reached the outskirts of a cliff. Footsteps behind her.

_This is it. Kakashi-sensei's dead. Naruto...gone, and who knows what those cursed Akatsuki are doing to he and his demon. Sasuke..._

Sakura squeezed her eyes shut, a few tears escaping.

_Dead._

Slowly, the ninja turned around to face the ever-drawing near footsteps. She clutched a chipped kunai, her last weapon. _I...Mom, I'm scared. But you're long dead too, aren't you? And Father...I'll...I'll be joining you guys soon. But I'll make you proud - I promise! I'll take down as many as I can...with me..._

"Girl..." came the soft murmur. Sakura snapped her eyes open, narrowing them slowly at the figure in front of her. Her fingers tightened around her kunai.

She spared no words, and dematerialized in front of him, appearing behind his back. _Now! _all of her being, _screamed. _The kunai in her hand swerved in a descent, arcing through the air into his back, into the black and red cloak, into the midnight-blue locks that reminded her so much of...

There was a movement behind her, and suddenly the man in front of her wasn't there. A stinging pain made itself known in her unwounded shoulder. Sakura numbly looked down at the offending spot and dully acknowledged a katana tip protruding there.

She witnessed the katana slide back out of her body.

"One shoulder stabbed, the other, dislocated," murmured the deep voice behind her. "Three broken ribs, a fractured arm, a swollen ankle, and numerous other cuts. You've held up well, kunoichi."

A strong arm lifted Sakura from the back by her collar, then slowly turned her to face him.

Deep, familiar black eyes melted into blood-red. Three spikes reminiscent of the torture device, the Catherine wheel, twirled lazily.

"Mangekyo Sharingan," came the whisper.

_So it ends, _Sakura thought dully, her mouth muted by the blood slowly pouring out of it.

Uchiha Itachi hesitated - hesitated!

His eyes slowly reverted to it's inky black hue.

"My foolish brother...he loved you."

_But he's dead..._Sakura wanted to scream..._Because you killed him!_

Itachi released his grip on her shirt and she collapsed to the ground. It took her awhile to realize he was no longer there.

"DAMMIT, KILL ME!" she screamed after him. "I don't want to live - KILL ME!"

There was no response.

Choked sobs rose from her throat. Sakura pulled her bleeding body up from the coarse grass, then sprinting -

_See you there, everyone...  
_

- threw herself off the cliff.

Her body - falling, falling.

An amused voice resonated from above her, and below, from all sides... **Gave up, eh?**

"What else is there?" Sakura moaned, still free-falling and delirious with pain.

The voice turned scornful. **Pitiful girl. We all have troubles you know.**

Sakura didn't dare open her eyes. Was she dead? But something compelled her to answer the mysterious voice.

"Giving up? Ha. There's nothing to give up. Everyone I love...dead. Yeah, we all have troubles, but...why am I even talking to you? I don't know who you are."

Her body seemed to stop in midair, cushioned by an invisible force. Sakura opened her eyes and saw above her the cliff she had thrown herself off. She cautiously tilted her head down, and saw that twenty feet beneath her was ground.

_"_Oh god," she whispered in shock.

The deep voice, which sounded kind of feminine behind its rough quality, chuckled her. The sound resonated all around the teenager's body.

**Who am I? You amuse me with your boldness. Very well then. I am an uncaptured demon, a ten-tailed Nekomata. I've inhabited this sacred mountain for quite awhile, almost to the point I was forgotten. Not that I have a problem with **_**that. **_**I'm not foolish enough to set my bloodlust and rage upon villages, just to get captured and detained like my brothers and sisters.**

"Oh god," Sakura repeated. A ten-tailed cat demon - she could be obliterated in an instant!

Warm air cocooned Sakura, and a slight wind picked up all around her.

**You smell...as if you've met some demons before. Yes, I scent two of my brothers. Tanuki-chan...Kitsune-chan...**

"Y-yes...I've met the human containers of the Shukaku and the Kyuubi, if that's what you mean," Sakura said nervously.

**Give them my regards.**

A cry of anguish rose in Sakura's throat. "You don't understand! They've been ripped from their hosts by the Akatsuki. The containers are long dead, and your brothers are probably going to be harnessed for their power to use and capture other demons!"

The air seemed to still around her suspended body.

**You have...mentioned that you've lost everyone dear to you. My brothers' containers...were they one of them?**

"Yes..."

**You want revenge, don't you...?**

A terrible fury welled up in the kunoichi. "Yes. Yes! I must avenge them. The Akatsuki will pay..."

**The Akatsuki captured my brothers to use their power, you say. And the Akatsuki also killed your human friends...**

There was a moment of silence between Sakura and the Nekomata.

**You - mortal. I'm giving you my trust. I will suspend time and send you back into the past. I'm giving you a second chance, see. In this borrowed time, you must defeat the Akatsuki and prevent my brothers and your friends from getting captured or killed. If you fail, time will revert itself to where we are now. You will not remember me or the chance I'm giving you, and you will also plummet down the rest of the twenty feet to your death.**

Sakura drew in a heavy breath. "Could you - could you really do that? Make me 12-years old again, and let me prevent my friends' deaths and the demon captures?"

**Yes.**

The kunoichi realized something quickly with an overwhelming fear. "What if - in that time, something changes? Like the Akatsuki attack earlier than normal? I'll have the mind and strength of a 12-year old. I won't be able to stop them if that happens!"

**Cunning of you. What a mistake I would of made, had you been the child you were! There are no second chances. Then, I will allow you the mind and strength of how you are right now as an 18-year old, but you will be 12. You can still grow - like turning 13 and having the mind and strength of a 19-year old, and turning 14 and so on. And time to time, I might even lend you my power, if I'm in a circumstance that my power can reach through the time paradox. You seem worthy of it...**

"Thank you...Thank you!" Sakura cried. For the first time in such a long while, she was beginning to have hope...

**See you in the past.**

A terrible inky darkness enveloped Sakura's body, and then around her was the weightlessness of death.

* * *

"Sakura! Wake up, you're going to be late!"

Sakura sleepily opened her eyes, only to have her pupils hit with blinding sunlight.

In a startled frenzy, she jumped from bed and did a double-take. A bed? Not the floor? And sunlight. Strange.

The eighteen-year old looked up and saw a mirror across from the bed. Eighteen? No! She was a child! Short, slender, barely affected by puberty - what in the world had happened?

In a second, all of what happened in the past - or future - rushed back to her.

"The Nekomata..." Sakura murmured in perplexity. Then, a bright grin enveloped her face. She was twelve again. But what a twelve-year old! Though her body didn't show it, her muscles felt boundless strength. She felt herself brimming with her powerful chakra, capable of inhuman strength and a woman's mind capacity.

"Sakura!" sounded the singing wake-up call from downstairs. "You alive yet?"

_More so than ever. But please…don't let me fail this second time…_

_

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_

_To be continued..._


	2. Living in the Past

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, its storyline, or characters. However, this fanfiction is based on Naruto, and is my creation. THE GENERAL PLOTLINE WAS INSPIRED BY -brezoflower- 's story, If I Knew Then What I Know Now! Read her story too, it's awesome. XD**

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**C O L L A T E R A L - N A S C E N C E**

_**Second Beginnings**_

_**Chapter Two: Living in the Past**_

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Haruno Sakura stared at her old dress. Last time she had seen it, it was bloodstained and torn. Now, in the past - or present - it stood on the clothes-stand, innocent, clean and freshly ironed.

The owner of the dress in particular clucked her tongue in distaste. Did she really think it was pretty back then? It was blindingly noticeable, one thing that a ninja must never be. Its hanging skirts on both sides could easily become an obstacle in leg movement and get tangled.

Sakura quickly took her mother's shearing scissors and cut the thin red fabric at the skirt-edge, just long enough to make a red shirt. She put it on her young, un-puberty-affected body and slipped on a pair of black shorts. She smiled at the familiarity at the outfit. One thing it was lacking was the crisp white skirt over the pants that signified her important standing as a top medic-nin. But that would come later, when she could freely reveal her healing skills.

The kunoichi-genin strapped her kunai pouch to her thigh and placed her Konoha hitai-ate over her long pink hair, which immediately caught her attention.

_I could do something with this..._

Right now, she didn't have the suitable tools to execute her idea, so she left the long roseate locks as they were.

The twelve-year old hopped down the wooden steps of the staircase two at a time and ran pell-mell into her mother, who was apparently about to go up and check on her daughter.

"Sakura! What have you been doing? L-look at your skirt! I fixed that! Nevermind - you're going to be late, and for your first day too!"

Mom.

_Staring at the space in front of her, with gentle smile on her lips, which were reddened by the trickle of blood that ran down her chin. With a final breath: "Sakura..." she stilled and lay silent...Sakura begging her to wake up...  
_

Sakura shook her head furiously and smiled a forced grin at her mom. The memories overwhelmed her; things she hadn't thought of in years. Her mom's cooking, gardening, odd quirks and cheerful mannerisms. Light tears sprang in her eyes.

"What is it?" her mother said, amused. "Happy about being a genin?"

Sakura took a breath and looked at her mother for a long while, memorizing her features. If only it could stay this way...

"Sakura?"

Mrs. Haruno's daughter wrapped her arms around the comforting, warm body.

_Alive, she's alive._

"Well, isn't this a pleasant change?" Sakura's mother laughed, patting the baby-koala bear positioned girl around her waist. "And here I thought I was raising a sulky teen."

Sakura disentangled herself and gave a bright smile. "I'll be going Mom. Wish me luck."

"Ah, yes. And would you take this to Yamanaka-san's flower shop?" she said, giving Sakura a wrapped package. "'Kay then, give your mom a kiss."

Sakura willingly complied and left her home, which in the grim future, was horribly burnt and reduced to rubble.

_That, and my mother's death, is going to change._

_**Ah, you've finally come to thinking of the changes you are to make. Well, you have six years ahead of you. Plenty time until the past, this present, comes to meet the point of time you were falling off the cliff. **_

Sakura stopped in her walk at the sidewalk, then realized it was the Nekomata speaking to her inside her mind.

_Where are you? _she thought warily.

_**Somewhere**_, came the nonchalant reply. _**By the way, can you get rid of your head-mate?**_

Sakura inquired curiously, _What head-mate?_

_**Whoever this "Inner Sakura" is. She's trying to pick a fight with me. **_

_Oh. That. No way, seeing as she is "me." I guess she's just a more rebellious version of my soul lurking around in my head and plotting plots. Sometimes I listen to her advice. You could say she's an extra person inhabiting this body's mind._

_**Ah. Pity. Go on with your life. I'm interested to see how you humans...work? Do things? Just ignore me.**_

Sakura sighed. If she had this voice in her head just spouting nonsense...oh god, was this what Naruto had to live with, or was his case different?

Walking on, the Yamanaka Flourists appeared into view.

The genin walked into the shop and left the package at the counter. Ino appeared from the back of the shop. Without thinking, Sakura rushed over to Ino and hugged her _really _hard.

_Dying like a drowned flower surrounded by the whipping rain, spirit down and cursing the world..._

"Uh...Sakura? Hi?...Can you get off me? Is this a weird way of persuasion on me giving up Sasuke-kun or what? And what's with your skirt?"

Sakura snapped out of her morbid thoughts. Ino...alive, and a young, childish, twelve-year old again. And, that same snarky look of irritation mixed with gladness to see her, on that pretty face.

"Hehe...hey Ino. Sorry about that. I've - um - missed you a lot."

"It's only been a day." Ino gave Sakura a weird look. "One day and all your fashion sense goes to ruin."

"Replaced by clean, sensible ninja-ness," the kunoichi retorted. Goodness! Ino sure did bring out the child in her! Sakura hurriedly gestured toward the package on the counter. "Mom says hi."

"Whatever. Let's get moving forehead-girl," Ino said, cheerily stepping out into the sunlight. "Race to get a seat by Sasuke-kun!"

Soon, the two friend/rivals' feet were a blur of ninja sandals moving through Konoha's marketplace, then the school yard, then through the halls...BANG! They futilely attempted to squeeze their bodies through the doorway of the Ninja Academy classroom.

"This is what happens when pigs don't learn how to work-out, Ino-_pig," _Sakura said through gritted teeth. How long it had been since she last enjoyed these little competitions with Ino!

"You talking to me, Forehead-girl? It's you taking up the doorway!"

With extra effort, though without using her massive supply of chakra, (she knew it'd be REALLY unfair) Sakura managed to pull through and enter the room first.

Naruto bounded to her, nearly tripping over his own feet.

"Hey Sakura-chan! Can you sit by me? Ne?"

Sakura stared into his young, twelve-year old face. _What will the Akatsuki do to you in the future?_

_**Ah. On that topic. My little brother, the Kyuubi, is within him. Yes, I sense him well. His power diminished greatly by that curious seal. No doubt, if you can get through this right, we can we reunited...**_

Sakura was about to answer when Naruto repeated his question.

"Uh...Hey Naruto! Sure, I guess. Come on!"

Ino stared after the two. "Sakura? With the school failure? Woah..."

Sakura took Naruto by his hand, not hearing Ino's comment. Back then...or in the future, Naruto had been one of her greatest friends, fighting by her side, and vowing to fight off the Akatsuki, but...

"Don't get captured again, okay?" Sakura quietly murmured.

"Eh? Nani?"

"Nothing! Let's sit by Sasuke-kun," the girl exclaimed, ignoring Naruto's protests and dragging him over to where the boy was sitting.

Sasuke gave a side-glance at the two clamoring to get past the crowd of fangirls.

"Ohayo Sasuke-kun!" Sakura plopped down on the bench beside him, not daring to look at him directly. Naruto sat down with a "harrumph" beside her, still voicing aloud his wondering of why everyone liked "Sasuke-teme."

_Brought down to his knees and clutching at his empty eye-sockets in pain. "Run Sakura...! Get away from here!"_

Sakura finally looked up. Sasuke didn't answer, merely staring ahead. Meanwhile, the other students and Iruka-sensei filed in.

Naruto was about to stand up and declare his enmity to Sasuke in his face, but Sakura quickly pulled him down, knowing what was going to happen. No siree, she couldn't let Sasuke and Naruto's first kiss be exchanged today!

"Sit down, kids. You're genins now, act like one."

When the chattering subsided, he continued.

"Now, I'm going to assign you to your teams and respective teachers..." Iruka-sensei droned on, listing their teams and soon the class was abuzz with complaints and cries of joy.

Sakura decided to express her enjoyment at the choosing of both her teammates, instead of just Sasuke. To her amusement, Naruto blushed adorably to her exclamation.

Hyuuga Neji wasn't interested at all in his new comrades or teacher. He glanced warily around the room for them when something caught his eye. A flare of very bright, abnormal chakra. Funny, he realized. It was so bright and visible...and yet he didn't have his Byakugan on. When no one seemed to be looking, Neji activated his kekkei genkai and the room's inhabitants' bodily contents and chakra coils were revealed.

He quickly found what he was looking for in Haruno Sakura.

Within her chakra coil was a current of power, nothing unusual. What was unusual was the amount! No genin's chakra aura was as brilliant as Sakura's. She seemed to radiate energy. Neji blinked once, twice. The day before, she had an under-average amount, a pitiful coil of power incomparable to his or Sasuke's – now it was over twice, no, three times both his and Sasuke's combined!

The Hyuuga Branch member deactivated his Byakugan and chose to sit back quietly and figure out the mystery. What could have happened...?

* * *

Kakashi-sensei leaned against the Academy roof's metal rails and exhaled. What childish...children. He didn't even begin their teaching and he hated them. The girl and that obnoxious living nightmare of a boy even had the nerve to chuck chalkboard erasers at him like rounds of a machine gun right when he entered their classroom! No, Kakashi had certainly _not _expected that.

"Tell me your name, likes, dislikes, dreams...etc..." he droned soporifically.

Naruto then pushed Kakashi to do the same and they ended up hearing the obscure answer Sakura then heard twice.

Sakura smiled. Same old Kakashi.

_Sitting up against a tree trunk with his bloodied but proud Konoha hitai-ate sitting beside him on the grass. The name "Rin" left his lips and he smiled and closed his eyes. One would've thought he was sleeping..._

Sakura's reverie was broken by a loud voice.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto! I like ramen! I hate the time it takes for the ramen to cook. And my dream is to become the next Hokage and make everyone acknowledge me!"

The Nekomata snorted. _**Interesting kid. Can't believe Kitsu-chan is stuck in **_**him. **_**Must be torture.**_

Sakura _had _to agree.

Then, Sasuke's answer: "Uchiha Sasuke. There are many things that I hate, and not much that I like...And my ambition is to kill a certain man."

_**Ahh...an Uchiha. How amusing! Yet, it was an Uchiha who almost killed you, if I read your memories correctly.**_

_Nekomata-san…_

_**I prefer to be called Yuugao.**_

_Yuugao-san, you can't rifle through my memories like that! _Sakura snapped. She felt a weird sensation in her head, as if her skull was being prodded. The Nekomata ignored her and, Sakura felt, smirked.

_**Little kit, are you deaf? The old man is calling for your turn to introduce yourself.**_

At that, Sakura tore herself away from her complaints and found the rest of her team staring at her.

"Ehehe...sorry. I kinda zoned out."

"We noticed," Kakashi said dryly.

"I'm Haruno Sakura. I like..." the genin thought for a moment. What would a twelve-year old girl say without sounding weird? And what did she say last time?

"Umm..."

"Go on."

"Dango. And uh...I dislike...er...china dishes? And I wish to be a patissier ninja...um...No! Not a pastry chef - a ninja!"

_**Pitiful.**_

_Please do shut up. I said what came first to my mind._

"...Alright then. Meet me at the training grounds in the morning at..." Kakashi said, but Sakura ignored him. She definitely knew he'd be late, what the training was going to be, and whatnot. Already, a plan for battle was forming in her mind...A devious smile quirked her lips.

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_To be continued..._

**Yuugao: **Moonflower, a rare and asian flower that only blooms at night. It's white with streaks of pale yellow coming from the center. Expensive, but worth growing I hear!


	3. First Memories Rewritten

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, its storyline, or characters. However, this fanfiction is based on Naruto, and is my creation. THE GENERAL PLOTLINE WAS INSPIRED BY -brezoflower- 's story, If I Knew Then What I Know Now!**

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**C O L L A T E R A L - N A S C E N C E**

_**Second Beginnings**_

_**Chapter Three: First Memories Rewritten**_

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"Kakashi-sensei and Sakura-chan are soooo late!" wailed Naruto. "My stomach's grumbling."

"Hn," Sasuke spared the syllable noncommittally. In truth, he was exasperated.

"Guys!" Sakura came running up the hill with bento.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted ecstatically, waving for her and forgetting his grumbling. "Why'd you bring food?"

"It's a trick…I um…consulted Kakashi-sensei's friends and they clued me in! You better eat – sensei won't go all out today." Sakura laughed, handing Naruto a box, and Sasuke the other, which he took with a nod. Thankfully, they didn't question her! In a bit they were all munching away, and soon Sakura was flustered with compliments from Naruto. Really, she wasn't that _good _of a cook…okay, maybe she was. But then again, she had six extra years of practice. In the _real _past, her cooking was simply terrible.

Sakura kept her senses up the whole time and immediately sensed Kakashi's chakra signature enter her 50 feet radius.

_**Eager, aren't you?**_

_Shush! I'm…just happy. You know, I just thought, if I even DID see them, it would be in some afterlife…how depressing is that?_

Yuugao was quiet, but Sakura felt that she agreed.

Luckily, Sasuke and Naruto were finished, so she just grabbed the bentos and dumped them unceremoniously behind a tree. "Don't tell," she whispered and they nodded, just as Kakashi's head appeared over the knoll.

"Hey guys, good morning!"

"You're late!" Naruto shouted uproariously.

Kakashi just grinned and trailed off on some odd excuse, which Naruto zeroed in on. The jounin ignored the raging teen, set the clock on the stump, and announced, "It's set for noon. Here are two bells. Your task is to take these two bells from me before time is up. Those who don't have a bell by noon…get no lunch."

Naruto couldn't help sneaking a grin at Sakura. Kakashi slid a wary glance likewise, expecting a crafty and investigative genin smiling guiltily…instead he did a double-take. He turned his head one way, then the other…from the corner of his eyes, did he see a writhing chaos of chakra larger than his? He immediately felt it withdrawing. He narrowed his eyes and finally met the eyes of the girl, who smiled innocently. _Something's off, _his ANBU senses were tingling. (A/N: I'm sorry, I couldn't resist!)

"Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto's inquiring whine broke off his reverie.

"Ah yes," their teacher coughed, tucking away his curiosity for a bit later. "You only have to get one bell. There are only two, so one of you will definitely be tied to the stump. And that person will be sent back to the academy. If you want, you can use shuriken, kunai...you won't succeed unless you come at me intending to kill."

Naruto sniggered. "You couldn't even avoid a blackboard eraser! I'll definitely smash you!"

Kakashi sighed. "Well, ignore Mr. Deadlast for now. Start when I say…"

Sakura's hands were already restraining Naruto before his murderous rage catapulted him at Kakashi, which would result in an armlock, which would result in a painful situation that literally, touched the sky's limit for Naruto.

"Hey! H-how'd you-"

Kakashi immediately re-evaluated his students. Sasuke, the legendary survivor, and the bearer of the same eye and potential he himself had, was no longer the single student that interested him. This girl moved so quickly!

"Shhh, Naruto. Don't underestimate him, he would…he would…" Sakura first hissed with impatience at Naruto's impulsiveness, but trailed off and blushed, wondering how to word Kakashi's immature, _immature _act.

Sasuke, silently watching all this time, wondered. _Sakura's acting strange…no, better, more intuitive than she usually is. Questioning the motives of teachers and going out of her way to investigate sensei's plans…predicting Naruto's movements…I don't need Hyuuga eyes or jounin experience to sense an abnormality! Has Naruto noticed? _The Uchiha glanced at the boy struggling in Sakura's locked grip, still lashing out blindly. _No, _he sighed, _he hasn't. Idiot._

"So you're serious. Very well…begin!"

Sakura instantly released Naruto and activated the genjutsu she had placed around the area. It was genin-level, Kakashi would figure it out soon. Still, she wanted some time to think about her close call with revealing her chakra and how she thought, almost, Neji caught her in the classroom, and now, Kakashi-sensei! But how to avoid such close encounters?

Yuugao sighed, a purr that reverberated in Sakura's mind.

_**You don't really believe in our power, do you? I'll cast a Shadow on your chakra reservoir. As long as there's light in your area, the Shadow will suck in light and hide the radiance of your chakra as well. Think of it as a self-powered genjutsu. Whenever someone looks at you, they'll see a reserve equaling their own, so they won't underestimate or overestimate you. It won't affect your power, so just focus on the fight. **_

_You're a genius! _Sakura exclaimed. _I almost wish I could hug you._

The Nekomata chuckled, _**Don't. You'd die a painful death I could do nothing about.  
**_

Before Sakura could respond, Kakashi stepped out of the genjutsu and looked directly at her.

"Crafty, aren't you?" He pulled out his familiar orange book and began reading. "It amused me for a while though. I knew something was up when Sasuke-kun started kissing Naruto."

Sakura pulled a hand over her mouth to stifle laughter. Of course, she hadn't specified what kind of matter that the genjutsu pulled out of her head, she just gave it a vague motive to distract Kakashi.

For a few seconds, they stood there in placid contentment, Kakashi thumbing through his M-rated material.

Then, Sakura dematerialized and met Kakashi's block with a fist. His visible eye widened with surprise at the strength of the blow, and she grimly smiled when she felt his blocking palm's bones crack.

"Good thing that was my left hand," he said quietly. He dodged the kunai she threw but couldn't evade her sweeping floor kick, he stumbled, and she rose to kick him again, higher. As he met the sky, he pulled his hands into a seal and pulled the water from the lake around them to a tsunami aimed at her. Sakura dispelled it quickly with a punch to its crest and it collapsed with a sigh - ! His fist was coming at her face through the watery veil, but she ducked and he was met with an exploding tag. But that was a clone! Kakashi jumped from the water and threw Sakura into a tree, but that Sakura disappeared in a explosion of dust.

An undamaged Sakura emerged from where she was the whole time, behind the same tree. The real Kakashi rose from the water, rubbing his cracked palm. The quick seals he did bent the hurting hand more than he liked, he decided. He met the girl – twelve years old! – and stared into her eyes. His right hand formed into a seal behind his back, but he didn't commit to anything – he had to find this out for himself.

"Is this another genjutsu? Are you even twelve? Or are you a spy, from Konoha's enemy countries?" he inquired solemnly.

Sakura took a breath. Of course. She knew she couldn't keep her strength a secret – what a joy it was to let it out, when the last time she used it, she knew it was that – the last time. But she hadn't expected to reveal her secret so soon. Could she trust Kakashi-sensei?

She looked back and remembered the time, in the future – or past, when she was an ANBU. He had looked to her as a comrade and kept back nothing from her. Friends.

"The truth is…" she started, then threw her head back with wild laughter. How crazy it would sound! Time-travel! Ten-tailed cat demons!

_**Let me handle this, kit, **_growled the Nekomata.

_Wait, _Sakura pleaded, but too late. In a split second, Yuugao had revealed her vaporous form surrounding Sakura.

Kakashi couldn't help but to step back. The genin, fresh out of school, half his height – an overwhelming presence equal to the kyuubi's he remembered from twelve years ago, rose out of her.

A silvery cat with gleaming crimson, gold-flecked eyes stared at him, making him feel for once, afraid and inferior. One tail showed for now, but he could see the flickering shadows of the other nine still in the Demonworld, but so easy to break through…and his student, the one he expected little growth out of, from what Iruka had told him…this student was the capsule and middleman between the Demonworld and Konoha.

_Naruto as well, _he reminded himself and groaned. _Two on my hands now. _

He finally dared to look at Sakura and was relieved to see the apparition gone. He swallowed, tersely feeling his dry throat, and finally managed to choke out, "How did this all happen? When did you become a jinchuuriki?" _(Demon-capsule in Naruto-world)_

Sakura didn't know where to begin and slowly responded, "A contract. In the future, or something utterly confusing like that. You see, you, Naruto, Sasuke, and other teams to me, are very dear to me. But something…happens…and..." _How much can I say? Would revealing too much change the future?_

"I found Yuugao-san…or she caught me, rather, and I was sent back to the past to...help everyone. Things are so unpredictable. A second chance doesn't guarantee that organizations like the Akatsuki couldn't attack any moment, for Naruto – even now!" Sakura bit her lip in uncertainty. Hell - even if she was technically eighteen, she was still a child! The enormity of what she took on washed over her, she realized, in finally talking about it.

In a burst of desperation, Sakura cried out, "Please - believe me! I AM your student! I am! I'm a citizen of Konoha. You might think I'm crazy – I sure as hell sound like I am – but you saw Yuugao! I would've been registered as a bijuu, right? You've never even seen or heard of Yuugao-san, but here she is!"

Kakashi listened intently and felt the girl's frantic nerves going all over the place. Was she crazy? He felt her chakra when she fell silent, and she let him. The chakra was immense all right, even without the Nekomata. It was disturbed and nervous, but…the signature seemed sincere. Trustworthy.

"Why the effort? A girl like you…even if you are from the future, you can't be that old if the Akatsuki attacked and you fought. We've always predicted an attack, and the time's coming sooner. Three, five years maybe. Why…"

Sakura was quiet, wondering if she could say…but she had to.

"Because…in the future…everyone's dead…_you're _dead."

* * *

_To be continued…_


	4. Telling a Secret that Shouldn't Be

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, its storyline, or characters. However, this fanfiction is based on Naruto, and is my creation. THE GENERAL PLOTLINE WAS INSPIRED BY -brezoflower- 's story, If I Knew Then What I Know Now!**

* * *

**C O L L A T E R A L - N A S C E N C E**

_**Second Beginnings**_

_**Chapter Four: Telling a Secret That Shouldn't Be**_

* * *

"_Why the effort? A girl like you…even if you are from the future, you can't be that old if the Akatsuki attacked and you fought. We've always predicted an attack, and the time's coming sooner. Three, five years maybe. Why…"_

_Sakura was quiet, wondering if she could say…but she had to._

"_Because…in the future…everyone's dead…you're dead."_

* * *

Kakashi was silent. Then…

"I don't know what to say," he said quietly, rubbing his head and laughing a little. "How many know of this? Who will we tell?"

Sakura's heart lifted at the "we," but his question troubled her. Who _could _she tell?

**Maybe it's better that it's spoken of later. It's best that this they learn of this, but later…I believe my brother has sensed me through Naruto's body. If he is wise, he will let me speak to him in the dimensions between the Demonworld, where he is caged, and not let his capsule know of it. But that Uchiha…Sakura's memories tell me that he is fickle and untrustworthy if we don't play our cards right.**

Sakura heard Yuugao, but this time Kakashi stiffened and she knew that he heard her too, that terrifying, feline voice with a rough feminine quality. Kakashi nodded.

"Besides Yuugao-san, what are your abilities?" He coughed and admitted, "Your chakra signature is larger than mine!"

Sakura responded as modestly as she could, "I can heal on par with the legendary Tsunade-sama, as she is my mentor in the future. I can hold my own against the Akatsuki. I'm a fairly good taijutsu fighter; relying on speed. I'm also adept in using genjutsu and improvising ninjutsu.

Kakashi whistled. A little hope stirred in him; he had once glimpsed the healing powers of Tsunade-hime. "Could you…could you heal my eye?"

"Your degrading Sharingan? Yes. When?"

"We'll get to that. I have to get back to the bell test." He finally said.

"Of course. What should I do?"

The corner of her sensei's lips quirked, the first smile he had given since the petrifying ordeal and revelation. "What can I say? You passed with flying colors."

Sakura looked down at her hand, and suddenly, a replica of his bell was there. She looked at him and saw the same two bells jangling with laughter.

Maybe things would be okay, if they played their cards right.

* * *

"…comrades who don't look out for each other are trash." Kakashi finished, and the two boys stared glumly at their feet, glared at each other, and then stared some more. Sakura knew that Sasuke had discarded the message quickly, still holding on to his "alone – power – revenge," motives…but she knew he would soften later.

_If everything goes on as it did in my first reality. _She reminded herself. She couldn't get to confident that she could change everything!

_**We will try, kit.**_

___Of course._

"Sakura?"

The jounin – genin, on paper record – looked up and saw Naruto holding out a hand. "Time to go!"

She smiled and took it, "Yeah. Bye Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke-kun!"

* * *

Back in her bedroom, she pondered the day's events, the first day of many that would be the way to change the future. She examined her small, childish hands and remembered her long, calloused and tapered fingers. But she knew the strength of those hands were still in there, even though appearances denied it.

_Yuugao-san?_

_**Yes?**_

_Do you miss your siblings?_

_**Of course…**_

_I'm sorry, _thought Sakura earnestly. _I'll help you get them back, no matter what!  
_

_**Yes. But a plan, kit. Like you said, the Akatsuki, Orochimaru…rivaling factions against Konoha could attack any moment. And side things you also want to change, like preventing that Uchiha from leaving, how to break the news to the boys…**_

Sakura sighed. _You're right._

For the next hour, she outlined everything she wanted to do, but there were so many things! She narrowed it down to:

**O **Land of Waves **O** Allow Sasuke to be introduced to Sharingan, Allow team to be introduced to Naruto's Kyuubi, Let Zabuza and Haku go

**O **Chuunin Exams** O** Target Sound genin immediately, Prevent Sasuke from getting Curse-Sealed, Win the randomly-generated battle (Sakura knew that there was a big chance that she wouldn't fight Ino again, as the fights were random and therefore out of time-control)

**O **Final Chuunin Exams** O** Allow Sasuke to train with Kakashi, Push Naruto to find Jiraiya, and _Find Tsunade, __and_ _tell her about the whole Thing. _

**O **COMPLETE Training with Tsunade **O **so you can pick up training from where you "left off"

**O **And if she could convince Tsunade to help her, they could prevent the death of the third Hokage, until Tsunade ascends.

That was as far as Sakura got, but she and Yuugao were satisfied.

* * *

The next morning, Sakura reported to Team 7's designated meeting area: the red ceremonial torii by the matching bridge and stream. When the boys arrived, she presented each of them a bento and they had a picnic without Kakashi, knowing that he would be late. Watching them eat, Sakura felt elated, curiously examining their childish faces with her older, 18-year old eyes, like an older sister. She put to memorizing every detail, cherishing her memories and knowing exactly what they would look like when they grew up. In her blissful reverie, Kakashi arrived and they set to the Hokage's hall where they would receive their mission.

"To the Land of the Waves!" cried Naruto cheerfully, as he rushed towards the gates – the first time – thirty-seventh time for Sakura - he would be ever be leaving Konoha and the first steps outside his small world. Tazuna was already waiting, and so were the assassins, Sakura knew. She quickly reined Naruto in and jumped with her kunai ready at Tazuna, who was startled away from his greetings to the team.

"Good call," Kakashi whispered as he passed her. "Or, a good use of foreknowledge."

Sakura smiled as the boys dove into battle, now readily alerted. No one would get hurt _this _time!

When the job was done, they saw Tazuna smiling broadly.

"You know, I was at first disappointed to be put to with such kids, all due respect mister," he admitted gruffly, nodding towards Kakashi. "But I'm impressed!"

Soon, they were on there way to the Land of Waves.

* * *

"What thick mist! I can't see ahead!" Naruto complained.

"The Wave country is at the base of the bridge," the boatswain replied. "Won't be awhile 'till you see it."

"Wow! It's huge!" Naruto cried out soon.

"Quiet! Why do you think we're in the mist and not using the engine? We'll be in trouble if Gatou finds us." Tazuna warned.

The group fell silent: the old man had told them of Gatou, the underground shipping magnate with ninjas at his feet. The only thing in his way was the completion of the bridge…

Naruto gaped at anything and everything, that Kakashi wryly tapped the bottom of his chin to close his mouth.

_**Just like Kitsu-chan, **_the Nekomata chuckled.

"This is it," the boatswain finally said. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Tazuna replied. To Team 7, he said gruffly, "Get me home safely."

"Yeah, yeah," Kakashi said. "Watch out. If we are attacked again, the assassins won't be genin or chuunin. A jounin-level, for sure."

Sakura watched Naruto punch the sky in confidence, but was worried when Sasuke hunched over with a manic look in his eyes. She knew that this was around the time when his Sharingan appear, but was his nervousness affecting it? Would he jump into battle suicidally if he thought killing a jounin would make him stronger?

They were a little ways off when Yuugao suddenly warned in Sakura's mind: _**Watch out, an enemy Kakashi's level is here, **_and Sakura could almost see her hackles rising with excitement.

"Everyone get down!" Kakashi shouted a split second before a whirlwind of cold steel whistled above their heads. A figure appeared through the mist, and Naruto and Sasuke strained to see. Sakura heard their client step back in fear.

"The Missing-nin Zabuza Momochi." Kakashi stared at the immoral assassin, who was slouching casually and swinging his sword menacingly, a leer traveling over the children behind the jounin, and resting on Tazuna.

"Stay back. This is on a different level. It will be difficult, unless I do…this," Kakashi continued, pulling up his hitai-ate.

"Stop!" Sakura couldn't pull herself back. "I didn't heal it yet! You'll kill yourself. Last time…" she choked. "Last time, Zabuza almost killed you!"

Shocked at her lack of self restraint, Sakura glanced at the boys and saw confusion register on their faces. 'Last time?'

Zabuza finally stopped swinging his sword and pulled into a crouch.

"Finish your last words, kids. I'll end this, Sharingan Kakashi!"

Sakura saw the confusion replaced with excitement and tension on Sasuke's face. _So easy to read, but I could never understand him back then…_

_**Pay attention to the now, kit!**_

_Right!_

"Surround and protect Tazuna, team. Don't enter the fray; you'll be a liability and will receive injury." Kakashi instructed calmly while settling into his stance.

"What's with his eye – " Naruto said loudly, and Sasuke merely smirked at him, trying to cover his own shock and excitement. Sasuke hurriedly rushed into explanation, forgetting his aloof façade towards his team mates.

Before Sasuke thought too deeply into it, Sakura said quietly, "He's not related to you. Let him explain later…" With a sharp glance, Sasuke stared at Sakura. She was acting up again!

Before he could respond, Zabuza had disappeared and the mist thickened around them. Suddenly, all of them felt a keen aura of killing menace. Sakura remembered what had happened at that time, the three 12-year olds huddling together. She shook her head at herself, smiling a little.

_**That man is a practiced killer, but he'd better work on a seamless ki. **_Yuugao snorted, and Sakura had to agree.

Sakura laid a hand on Naruto and Sasuke, sending her chakra in a soothing flow to calm their individual, erratic and frightened flows. Naruto immediately stopped shuddering and shot a queasy smile in her direction, but she could feel that Sasuke's silence wasn't just tranquility.

"Thank you, Sakura," Kakashi called from ahead. "Keep the boys that way, and if Zabuza comes for you –"

But he did, immediately and soundlessly.

The metal screamed in the stillness of the air as the blade swung towards Tazuna's neck, which Sakura countered with a kunai. She stabbed at the attacker, and he dissipated.

A clone!

"Behind you, sensei!" Naruto screamed.

But it didn't happen like the first time. Unlike in the first reality, Kakashi didn't respond to Naruto's warning fast enough.

Zabuza's sword pierced through Kakashi's back and protruded from his stomach, through the vest that was rapidly being stained crimson.

"It's over."

* * *

_To be continued…_

_**Preview:**_

_All her work was for nothing if Kakashi died! Sakura swore at herself for getting too cocky, to confident that this second chance could go her way – it was too late…_

_Haku stared at Sakura. "You're not…you're like me! Not a normal genin, but not accepted by society as you are, either."_

"_No," Sakura shook her head. "I never had the natural talent you have. Just…hard work. And a second chance."_


	5. Hidden in the Mist

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, its storyline, or characters. However, this fanfiction is based on Naruto, and is my creation. THE GENERAL PLOTLINE WAS INSPIRED BY **-brezoflower- **'s story, ****If I Knew Then What I Know Now****! Read her story too, it's awesome. XD**

* * *

**C O L L A T E R A L - N A S C E N C E**

_**Second Beginnings**_

_**Chapter Five: Hidden in the Mist  
**_

* * *

_But it didn't happen like the first time. Unlike in the first reality, Kakashi didn't respond to Naruto's warning fast enough. _

_Zabuza's sword pierced through Kakashi's back and protruded from his stomach, through the vest that was rapidly being stained crimson._

"_It's over."_

* * *

All her work was for nothing if Kakashi died! Sakura swore at herself for getting too cocky, too confident that this second chance could go her way…

Sakura rushed at Kakashi, but Naruto pulled at her collar and she tumbled back. "You'll get yourself killed!" He cried, his panicking aura lashing everywhere. Sakura struggled to get Naruto off her. "Let me help him," she yelled. Finally, she shoved him off and fell to her knees as Kakashi's side.

Zabuza and his clones took the chance to lunge at Tazuna. Sasuke and Naruto barely protected their charge, but it was enough. Sakura was well into healing Kakashi, but glanced back and was alarmed to see the amount of blood her teammates were losing. _Just a few seconds more…please, Kami! _Her mind screamed as she poured her green chakra into Kakashi's abdomen.

_**Let me help, **_Yuugao growled, speeding up the rate of the healing.

The wound was rapidly sealing up and Sakura sighed with relief and gratitude to Yuugao to see the gaping hole gone. Kakashi stirred and grasped her arms. "Thanks," he said in a weak voice. Then he got up fast, as if he forgot something. "Tazuna!"

"Right to it," she promised. Sakura leaped into the fray once more and fended off Zabuza, who was amazed that a girl half his age and size was beating him around as if she were ANBU.

Zabuza cursed and swung at the lithe, flashing blur that circled his sky. From the blur emerged streaks of jade chakra that pierced his skin.

He cursed again as he glanced at his sword arm, riddled with jade needles that disappeared and left stinging holes the moment he looked at them.

"_Hisui Hari," _Sakura whispered, focusing and condensing her chakra into deadly_ Jade Needles._

She threw with deadly skill and Zabuza was distracted in dodging them. Unfortunately, the slippery ground was deceitful and Zabuza managed to cut her legs a few times, but Kakashi swung in just as Sakura jumped – his hand glittering with the screaming Chidori. The moment Sakura leapt, the distracted Zabuza swung his sword upward as Sakura flew – leaving his abdomen open for Kakashi to repay him.

"Yeah!" Naruto cheered from his place by Tazuna.

Kakashi stepped back and observed Zabuza as the man collapsed, dropping his large sword and holding the gory wound that almost hit directly into his stomach, but instead took a chunk out of his side.

"It's over," Kakashi said quietly.

Sakura shook her head and they all tensed to watch. The missing-nin slumped into unconsciousness as real needles, steel this time, flew and hit him near his vital points. Sakura glanced up and saw the lissome figure of Haku in the trees.

_**Remember, we planned on stopping them here, but leaving them alive at the end, **_the Nekomata reminded Sakura of their outline of changes.

_Of course, _Sakura replied grimly.

"He's dead," the androgynous voice said. "Thank you. I have been searching for an opportunity to kill Zabuza for a long time." He stepped forward and –

Sakura hissed, "Don't be deceived!"

The moment he appeared by Zabuza's body, Sakura and threw her Hisui Hari at him. In a flash of silver, his own needles met hers and they glanced off each other, the chakra of her needles dissipating and his own corporeal ones falling silently in the mud.

Haku straightened. "I don't understand. Are you not his enemy?"

"He is," Sakura answered, landing and looking up to see the uncompromising mask. "And you are, as well."

"Looks like our trick has been flushed out," Haku murmured, letting his mask drop. "Bound to occur one day." Before anyone could stop him, he withdrew the needles from Zabuza's neck and tapped a few pressure points. The missing-nin stirred, and after a moment, rose to the rest of Team 7's disbelief. Without warning, Haku ran toward Tazuna, and Naruto, frozen in shock and confusion at the recent revelations, let him pass.

Sasuke cursed and met Haku with several fire jutsu.

"It seems that Haku has met his match," Zabuza said, observing the speed that Sasuke used to match Haku's.

Sakura let him go, knowing that it was vital to have Sasuke's Sharingan awaken soon. But…

"Naruto!" she cried, snapping the boy out his shock. "Let's help Kakashi-sensei!" The boy still felt himself shuddering with fear and disbelief, but he quickly paid attention. _Can't have Sasuke steal my spotlight! _He thought with envy, glancing at the smears of movements between the battling rivals. He ran after Sakura towards the collision that was Kakashi and Zabuza, but he suddenly couldn't help wondering aloud, "Sakura, how can you do all that amazing stuff!"

Sakura reached the battle and clenched her teeth in frustration. She had to keep her genin profile in check! "Later," she replied, dismissing Naruto's inquiry and hoping that he would forget it.

As Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura battled Zabuza and his army of clones, Sasuke was at a kunai deadlock with Haku.

"I didn't want to kill today, but you just won't stand down, will you?" Haku asked calmly.

"Don't be foolish," Sasuke retorted with a copied demeanor.

"I see…but I have two advantages over you. You won't be able to keep up with my speed anymore because of the water on this bridge, and two, I've been keeping your arm occupied for quite awhile. What will happen when both of your arms are, hmm? And now…" Haku sighed and his single hand became engaged in a flurry of seals. "…From this point, you can only _run _from my attacks."

_What! One hand – I've never seen that before, _Sasuke wondered with mounting dread. Suddenly, the surrounding water splashed upward, whipped into shape by the wind tempestially rising around them.

"_Demonic Ice Mirrors!" _Haku cried, jumping back and allowing the freezing water to encase Sasuke in an octagonal panel formation. Sasuke could only stare in awe and fear as the facets of the ice reflected the outside world, where there were only Haku, mist, and water.

Kakashi froze as he glanced back, seeing his pupil trapped in there. Zabuza seized the opportunity to hurt his other student, and Naruto cried in pain as his arm was nearly cut off. With a vicious swear, Kakashi returned to engage Zabuza and wondered how to reach his trapped protégé, fight alongside with Naruto, AND protect Tazuna.

_**Showtime, kit. Help your adulthood sweetheart, but leave a clone here to help Kakashi.**_

_Alright! Here I go.  
_

Sakura left a shadow clone with the men and rushed towards the mirrors, melting them with a supernova-point fire jutsu. She leaped in to see Sasuke, grimly examining around fifteen needles embedded painfully into his skin, and Haku, warily looking at this intruder.

Haku looked at Sakura and saw what Yuugao wanted him to see: a girl with a chakra reserve his own size, a gigantic understatement in reality. He was almost disappointed, that Sasuke was so easily injured and this girl would prove to be much the same.

_Your Shadow worked! He's underestimating me! _Sakura said gratefully toward Yuugao, who snorted in disdain at Haku's relaxing aura.

_**But you won't disappoint him, will you?**_

_I won't!_

Haku relaxed, allowing his mirrors to reform. Even if he had to up his speed a little, he had more available space to hit and fewer needles to waste, and the two children would become a liability and a source of worry to each other!

"What are you doing?" Sasuke hissed in frustration. "I'm fine on my own. Get out of here!" Truthfully, he wondered at this _new _Sakura's abilities and was less worried that he was. But…_She'll get in my way still!_

Sakura suddenly swiveled and thrust a burning lance of chakra into his eyes.

"What?" Sasuke screamed, rubbing at his eyes in fury, but was surprised to feel that the pain was already gone, and that his eyes weren't unheated, but cool and filled with chakra.

"Up till now, you've never needed an opportunity to unblock the chakra channels in your eyes. It had to be a crucial moment, a frightening one that would epiphany the awakening of your Sharingan. But as this isn't happening, as Haku hasn't seriously attacked you yet, I took the liberties to open the channels for you. The rest is up to you," Sakura hurriedly explained as the first volley of needles came from seemingly every opening in the mirror room.

Sasuke's newly opened eyes saw every minute detail as each needle flew his way. He successfully deflected all the needles with skill he hadn't owned before. He was amazed, but that didn't stop him from questioning sharply. "How do you know all this? The Sharingan is an Uchiha ability. As you say, it would've awoken at an imperative point…but why did you help it?"

_Couldn't he even bother a thank you? _Sakura wondered, a bit of a smile on her face. "Some research," she lied a little, "I read medical books. This boy is strong, and you need the Sharingan _now." _She couldn't resist a smirk. "Besides, you need my help."

He spat in disdain. "I could handle it!" he said roughly, but Sakura shook her head without a response. _He doesn't know. _She thought in dismay. _He's not open for understanding._

_**Didn't that come later? **_Yuugao prodded. _**His consideration for you only came when he loved you. Don't expect the same for him now, when he barely knows and respects you.**_

_That's true…_

Haku increased his speed in frustration. The two were countering fairly well – he hadn't even hit the girl, and the needles Sasuke failed to deflect were deflected by his partner! But the boy hadn't even noticed, so absorbed in the conversation he was in.

Sakura sighed and stepped back, only deflecting hers now. If Sasuke's Sharingan was ever to reach its heights, he needed to be under real pressure. Haku's enhanced speed would be the opening.

Sasuke felt the pressure build in his eyes as he saw the needles twisting in the air in front of him. _I need to see more!_

Sakura smiled to see another dark tomoe swirling quickly on the ring of one eye, two tomoes on the other.

_**What relief. We've finished half of the changes we listed in the first stage.**_

_Yes._

_Those eyes! _Haku thought worriedly. _I can't keep this up much longer…my chakra…_

Sakura allowed Sasuke to exercise his augmented eyesight for a moment longer, and finally created a circle of protection around them as she burst out her volcano-heat fire dragon. The mirrors melted once again, and Haku panted in exhaustion as he fought to freeze them again, but failed.

Sasuke, also consumed with weariness after his first awakening of Sharingan, stepped back and collapsed to the wet ground in a dead faint, the needles bridling his body digging in.

Sakura strided forward. "Hisui Tantō," she murmured, and a glittering dagger of jade appeared in her palm. The condensed chakra whispered through the air as she swung at Haku, who barely avoided the slice.

"I knew it," Haku said dejectedly. He stared at Sakura. "You're not…you're like me! Not a normal genin, but not accepted by society as you are, either. You're stamina is abnormal."

"No," Sakura shook her head. "I never had the natural talent you have. Just…hard work. And a second chance." She settled into another sword stance. "Let's finish this."

* * *

_To be continued…_


	6. Mercy for Past Enemies

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, its storyline, or characters. However, this fanfiction is based on Naruto, and is my creation. THE GENERAL PLOTLINE WAS INSPIRED BY **-brezoflower- **'s story, ****If I Knew Then What I Know Now****! Read her story too, it's awesome. XD**

* * *

**C O L L A T E R A L - N A S C E N C E**

_**Second Beginnings**_

_**Chapter Six: Mercy for Past Enemies**_

_**

* * *

**_

Sakura dived at Haku, whose exhaustion caused him to stumble at the backstep, allowing her to slice a thin cut in his face. She feinted and he turned the way she expected him to, and easily caught him again.

"Water scythe," he said weakly, and the water around them rose and slashed at her, but a single swipe dispersed each of them.

"I don't want to kill you," Sakura looked at the missing-nin straight in the eye. _Instead, I'll make you so weary that you won't fight anymore! _She thought with grim determination.

_**He's open now. See, there's surprise on his face! He thinks you'll kill him…**_

_I'm not a killer!_

_**You have before, as a jounin and ANBU.**_

_But that was...they were…enemies of Konoha…!_

_**But still humans. You humans slaughter each other so thoughtlessly! Though we demonkind are none to talk in the areas of what you call murder, we at least keep civil peace amongst us.**_

Sakura, still pushing at Haku's defenses heavily but not hurting him severely, responded, _Oh? So what of your brothers? The Kyuubi attacked Konoha and later, undenyingly battled his brother, the Tanuki. _

Yuugao's voice was bitter. _**Someone even stronger than Kitsu-chan and the Yondaime within Naruto…he somehow wrested control of Kitsu's mind and drove him into a mindless, blackhole of chaos. The only way he could sate his sudden, uncharacteristic madness was through violence, and the ploy worked. However, that evil influence suddenly broke off the moment he was sealed into that noisy boy. As for attacking Tanuki, the memory of the Yondaime must have deemed the other a threat to Naruto and forced every move.**_

_That's terrible! And you have no idea who controlled your brother from the start?_

_**No. I have many thoughts though…the Yondaime expected it to be Uchiha Madara, who seeks to capture all kidnapped beasts under the guise of the Akatsuki. First, he wanted to eliminate Konoha and the Sharingan clan within, something he used Kitsu and Uchiha Itachi to do.**_

_Do you know if Madara is still alive?_

_**I believe so. Before the time paradox, I sensed Madara on my mountain…I was about to retaliate for the suffering of demonkind, but suddenly, there you were – an answer to my wish, falling from the sky. You see, my chakra is boundless and lacks a body…but through you and our connection through time, I can send you my chakra without damaging your body.**_

_Ha! Seems like fate. Suppose Madara is still out there though…_

_**Impossible. All time is suspended, waiting for six years to pass, when you are eighteen at that exact moment I sent you, for normal time to resume.**_

_You mean, the future is frozen?_

_**As long as you are here in the past where no one belongs.**_

_That's amazing, Yuugao-san!  
_

_**Your opponent is open now.  
**_

Haku was panting heavily now, both drenched in water, but Sakura was still wary for opportunities. When he leaned forward to create a shield of ice, Sakura whipped around him and hit consecutive pressure points down his spine, effectively paralyzing him. The said winner, soft at heart, caught him and lowered him as he could do nothing but stare at her in shock and dismay.

Sakura glanced at the unconscious Sasuke, then at her immobile rival, and assured herself that things would be okay. _Now for Zabuza! _As she neared her next fight, she directed her clone to take Naruto aside and heal him. Now she herself dove in and Kakashi acknowledged her in thanks with a smile. Zabuza was tough, even with the two of them battering fiercely at his resistance. But his legendary sword, the Kubikiri Hōchō, made up for his shortcomings.

From the corner of her eye, Sakura saw Kakashi's Sharingan eye blinking rapidly and the skin around it creasing with exhaustion. He'd been using it for over an hour!

"Naruto!" she called, turning her head frantically for the hyperactive blonde. He hopped up with her shadow clone, all healed and grinning. He ran toward them and joined the fray.

"You've gotta teach me that cool repairing trick," he shouted.

Sakura could only shake her head and smile a bit worryingly, knowing that Naruto could never master the art of healing. He had neither the patience nor chakra control for it…

"Let's finish this," Kakashi shouted. "I'm too old for this, but let's make an impromptu combo."

"Alright!" Naruto agreed enthusiastically. "Me first!"

"Quickly!"

They all backed away and suddenly, the bridge was crowded with many clones of Naruto.

Zabuza spat in disdain. "Annoying whelp!" He merely circled his sword in the air around him, a grey blur that offensively and defensively let fly Naruto copies into the air, which was soon clouded with the poofs of degenerated chakra. But then suddenly, there the real Naruto was, running toward Zabuza and dodging his sword. He punched and kicked the missing-nin upward, the first few stages before the Uzumaki Combo just invented. Sakura smiled in recognition.

"Alright!" shouted Tazuna, forgotten, at the edge of the bridge and surrounded by Naruto clones.

As Zabuza reached his peak in the sky, Naruto darted away. Zabuza fell at a quick speed, met with Sakura's sprint and jump. She smashed her palms together and a jade glow speared out from the cracks of her fingers.

"_Hisui Kyuushuu!" (Jade Assault) _She brought her still-cupped hands over her head and smashed them down in the air above Zabuza's head, in the split-second opening her palms and releasing the chakra within. It bled out in angry, jagged spears that pierced him. As Zabuza's body's traverse to the ground sped up, Kakashi rushed in to meet him with a Chidori once again.

Naruto and Sakura landed on the ground and watched equally amazed, as the smoke cleared and they leaned forward to examine their handiwork. Zabuza was an unconscious, wounded mess.

Suddenly, he stirred and his eyes shot open.

"Haku -!" he coughed, wiping the blood from his lips and feebly attempting to get up.

Sakura pushed him back gently. "Shh, he's alright."

"Sakura, what are you doing? He's the enemy!" Naruto shouted.

"Let him live. The outcome is worse," she responded, staring at the sword still gripped tightly in Zabuza's hand. _I can never let Suigetsu's hands on this sword. The destruction he wrought! _Sakura gripped her arm, almost feeling the pain of it tearing out of its shoulder as if it happened yesterday. _In the final battle to return Sasuke to Konoha…_

"What are you doing? Finish me off," Zabuza grunted, clutching his stomach. Instead, the medic-nin leaned over, firmly pulled his hand away, and passed her own over his stomach gently.

"Wha – my pain!" He stared.

"I can't heal you though," she said regretfully. "You're too dangerous, but you have to be able to get Haku and get out of here."

"What's this about?" Kakashi asked.

"Please trust me, sensei."

He nodded and stepped back, quietly pulling Naruto along, who was wise enough to listen.

Sakura returned her gaze to Haku.

"You know he's not just a tool," she said, still not looking at Zabuza."You do care for each other, like parent and child."

"What a joke," he spat. But he turned his head to look at Haku, just the same.

"Gatou is coming to kill you. He never intended to pay you for your mercenary work anyways. Just get Haku and get out of here…and…don't let anyone take away your sword." Her gaze rested on the "Decapitating Blade," gripped in his bloody fingers.

"Of course," he snorted, pulling himself up. He looked back at Sakura and hesitated. Then, wordlessly, he limped to Haku and threw the boy over his shoulder easily.

They disappeared into the mist.

After watching the mist for a moment, Sakura turned to Naruto.

"It's time to let loose," she said cheerfully. "We're going to a bad guy's hideout for a crazy, all-nighter fight."

"Will do!"

Together, they punched the air.

Kakashi picked up Sasuke and approached Tazuna. "Can he stay at your place?"

Tazuna eyed Kakashi with gratitude. "Of course."

* * *

The return to Konoha was peaceful, and compared to recent events, relatively boring. Spring was at its peak, brilliant and sunny here in Konoha compared to the wetness that was the Land of Waves.

Team Seven stood at the Hokage's office, having completed their report. "Well done," the third Hokage praised them, his weary eyes resting on Naruto affectionately with relief. "Despite the unexpected difficulties, you have coped well. After such an ordeal, I call for about a week to rest from missions, hm?" Sakura and Kakashi could only agree, but Naruto and Sasuke shared a look of disappointment.

When Sakura was back at her home, her parents done worrying over her for the hour, she sprawled onto her bed and thought disappointedly, _Yuugao-san, Kyuubi-san hadn't emerged! _

_**Don't worry, kit. He's still sleeping a bit, but I will have the chance to talk to him. Naruto wasn't under any real pressure, you know.**_

_Alright, _Sakura sighed.

_**Don't take this time to relax though, even though you have six years left, you still must train and be ready for any action.**_

_I nearly forgot! Six years, huh? I better get cracking._

Sakura leapt from the bed and out her window, heading for Konoha's common training fields bordering the woods. For an hour, she passed through her exercises and daily regimen, and did serious combat with shadow clones of herself for the next two.

Sunset shaded the sky and Sakura felt herself yawning. She returned home and was startled with a giant, "Surprise! Happy birthday, Sakura!"

Dazed, she brushed away the streamers and stared beyond her parents happy faces and into the dining room, where Kakashi, Naruto, and _Sasuke, _were waiting.

"Birthday?"

"March 28! You're thirteen now."

Sakura felt herself tearing up. _This was the last birthday I celebrated before I left Konoha to train…and when I returned, my parents were dead, and this house, destroyed…_

"Thank you _so_ much!" Sakura dove into their arms, glad to be their little girl again. She faintly heard Yuugao say, _**Just a kitten, after all**, _with a snort.

"We were glad to see you come back, but on the day of your birthday! I must really complain to the Hokage." This drew a laugh from Sakura as her mother encircled her in a hug, smoothing out her hair. "But come, we have your favorite food. Your teammates are here too!"

At the crowded dinner, Sakura replaced her father at the head of the table and was crowned with a wreath of the first sakura-fall that spring. The dinner was punctuated with Naruto's noisy antics, her father's corny jokes, and laughter. Sakura noticed Sasuke gazing at her with a look of relaxed curiosity, and blushed. She was soon distracted, however, by the cake that arrived. The group sang happy birthday in various off-tune keys and watched her with amusement as she looked wide-eyed.

"Make a wish!" Naruto crowed as the Haruno matriarch settled the candelit cake down in front of the Birthday Girl.

_I wish..._she dreamed wistfully, feeling a little foolish, _that everything I have set out to do will come to pass._

**_Happy birthday, kit_, **Sakura heard Yuugao say quietly.

She leaned forward and blew out the candles amidst to cheers and clapping.

Sakura felt the fullness of her heart, closed her eyes, and wished the night would never end.

* * *

At night, her parents retiring early to sleep, Team 7 was up on the house roof in the cooling night.

"I've got to go," Sasuke said grumpily, but Kakashi pulled him down by the belt loop of his pants. "We _know _you'd love to stay, and really Sasuke-kun, you should agree with your true feelings for once." Their teacher said in a false-sweet humor. Naruto just roared with laughter.

Suddenly, the hyperactive ninja addressed Sakura, "How'd you learn all those neat tricks? And why do they all have to do with _jade_?"

Sakura sighed and shrugged, "I sit down and _read _Naruto. As for the names of my technique, it has to do with the color of your eyes."

When Naruto's face screwed up with confusion, she explained, "Eyes truly are the windows to a soul, the safe of chakra within. Usually, the eyes – soul – chakra, are the same color."

Their sensei perked up; he had heard the beginnings of this theory.

"However, beginning students' jutsu and exposed chakra appear the generic, sky blue. But once you find your "true" soul, your chakra signature becomes stronger, more defined. The names and techniques unique to you, being you, come naturally without thought. Of course, they could be adapted to suit someone else, but it's never the same."

This left the team in thought, Kakashi stirring with unease. _All my techniques are the generic chakra-blue…have I not found the "definition" of myself yet?_

As if reading his mind, Sakura said aloud, "Of course, eye colors are registered differently sometimes. Genetics don't guarantee your chakra/soul would be the same as your parents! Brown eyes – gold chakra maybe, and sometimes dark blue or grey eyes appear as light blue."

Naruto's snore pierced the air, immediately lightening the situation. Kakashi stood up, causing the rooftop to creak a little, as he swung Naruto onto his shoulder. "I'll drop Naruto off at his apartment." Before he turned to go, he looked softly as Sasuke. "Let's talk about the Sharingan later. Sakura's tied in with us…so tomorrow morning at the Torii River Bridge, okay?" Sasuke nodded and got up as well.

"Bye, Sakura," Sasuke murmured. Then he tossed her three parcels wrapped in messy, colored paper. Speechlessly, she clutched them to her and smiled at Sasuke, who flushed.

"They picked me to give you our presents, so don't think of it – more than it is -!"

But she was already, blissfully shaking her head, saying, "Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow, 'kay?" She watched his lithe form leaping from rooftop to rooftop and finally, seeing him no longer, slid into her room by the window.

So she was inside, a mature woman, so why was she feeling so euphorically young and full of butterflies and love?

It all started, she thought, with that day…

* * *

_To be continued…_


	7. Reminisce the Future, Hope for the Past

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, its storyline, or characters. However, this fanfiction is based on Naruto, and is my creation. THE GENERAL PLOTLINE WAS INSPIRED BY **-brezoflower- **'s story, ****If I Knew Then What I Know Now****! Read her story too, it's awesome. XD**

* * *

**C O L L A T E R A L - N A S C E N C E**

_**Second Beginnings**_

_**Chapter Seven: Reminiscing the Future, Hoping for the Past**_

* * *

_It all began on that day…_

When they were sixteen, so young; but not to be underestimated. In a final clash, Naruto defeated Pein in a heated struggle that was near hopeless – but of course, with Naruto, there is always hope. In the advent of the siege on Konoha, she and Naruto had rushed home to find Konohagakure broken and weeping. Immediately, Sakura rushed to assist Tsunade in healing the wounded while Naruto battled Pein. Finally, the leader of the Akatsuki and his childhood sweetheart fell, their bodies buried by the collapsed cave. Sakura dragged a heavily wounded Naruto out and healed him.

Then, Sasuke had come with his Hawk syndicate with the intent to fully invade Konoha in its weakest moment, but the fiery village stood up to its name in a last stand.

Of course, Naruto was exhausted, so the memory of the Demon-Cage guardian Minato temporarily resigned all powers of the Kyuubi to Naruto, with full control, for five minutes. Sakura remembered her own battle with Karin clearly…

"_Oh, what sweet pink hair! I'd love to stain it in your own blood," Karin sang, licking her lips. _

_Sakura shuddered. What had convinced Sasuke to endure such a beast?_

_Without warning, Karin lunged at her with a katana drawn. Sakura stepped aside smoothly and avoided Karin's haphazard slash, and drew her own. "Hisui ken…" the chakra katana shimmered evanescently in her palm before consolidating as if it were real. Sakura settled into a stance. Unlike Karin, Sakura had actually been drilled in weapons usage by Tsunade-hime and Tenten, both whom she trained and sparred with. Not that she was a professional, but she could survive. _

_Karin spiraled and assailed Sakura again and they engaged in a flurry of blows until Karin made a lucky nick on her opponent's shoulder. Sakura stumbled backward, not badly injured, but a bit startled. This girl was as wild as the color of her hair, and just as unpredictable!_

_Sakura fought with one arm, her left holding on to her shoulder and healing it rapidly. Once the shoulder was closed, she returned to fullout battle and noticed Karin's stare at the unwounded area in envy. Sakura wondered why until she got the best of Karin and stabbed her in the stomach. Orochimaru's former assistant gasped and fell, rolling away until scrambling onto her dirty knees. She pulled up her muddied sleeve – Sakura gasped at all the bites riddling up the course of her arm! – and bit ferociously into her own skin. Sakura watched in a disgusted fascination at the teeth clenched into the arm, and consequently, the wound in her stomach slowly closing. She realized the cause of Karin's expression: Karin couldn't heal properly._

_The struggle to mend the stabwound ended quickly as Karin's remaining chakra expired. The girl gasped and tried to stand, but fell once again. Sakura dismissed her katana and walked towards Karin, kneeling to see her face._

"_You don't have to do this," Sakura whispered sadly. "Konoha has a room for everyone. Forget about your past with Orochimaru! We promise safety as long as you wish it. I can teach you how to heal properly."_

_Once her surprising words registered, Karin's eyes widened. She snarled a swear and pushed away Sakura's offering hand. "Don't pity me! I stand among the strongest kunoichi! The Hawk Syndicate needs me for my abilities!" Karin staggered up and before Sakura could react, grabbed her katana and swung at Sakura's neck. Reflexively, the chakra blade was back in her hands, and without thinking, Sakura went into one of her practiced forms: counter, slash, kill. The medic-nin impulsively closed her eyes as blood spattered onto her clothes. _

"_Shit!" Sakura opened her eyes quickly and kneeled at Karin's side. "No..." Was Karin her first kill? The medic thought back, but couldn't remember. She could only feel a pit of self-disgust overwhelming her. She checked Karin, and could find no heartbeat. Desperately, she poured chakra into her hands at the wound, but to no avail._

"_Leave her," Suigetsu drawled, swinging Zabuza's __Kubikiri Hōchō lazily in the air. "That," he called Karin a rude name, "deserved it. Clinging onto Sasuke and ordering Juugo and me around! Asking for it, I tell you." He leaned over the frozen-stiff Sakura. "And you're a cute girl, aren'tcha?" He touched her shoulder and traced his pale finger up her jawline._

_Sakura felt a cruel, coldblooded anger stirring within her. She did a backflip away from him, kicking his jaw with a loud crack and breaking the finger that violated her._

"_You disgusting fiend! How could you say that of your teammate?"_

_Suigetsu rubbed his jaw and idly examined his finger with interest. "Damn, that was quick. I didn't even have time to turn into water!" He chuckled softly."What a sweet lass. Let me pay you back…" Sakura didn't even see him coming. "…with this!"_

_The __Kubikiri Hōchō bit into her arm savagely, nearly ripping it off her shoulder. Sakura bit her lip in pain and squeezed a few tears out of her tightly shut eyes._

"_Disgusting," a familiar voice spat. "Scum like you don't belong here." Sakura whipped her head around and saw – Team Gai! Neji, Lee, and Tenten approached and as they passed, Tenten helped Sakura up. "Go! Heal that arm," she warned. "We'll take care of this guy." Sakura shook her head weakly but knew it was no use – Tenten's will represented Konohagakure – the will of fire. _

_Sakura stumbled away, hearing Suigetsu's mocking laughter fade away and end in surprise at the combined force of Team Gai's strength. Sitting at the base of a tree, the medic-nin clutched at her arm and solely concentrating on filling the bone cracks and reattaching muscle and sinew to avoid being overwhelmed with pain. Gritting her teeth, she waited out the throbbing to end until the ordeal was over, around three minutes later. Sakura glanced at her arm and stretched it around, satisfied that there was no pain. She popped in a blood replacing tablet and swallowed with practice. But she almost forgot – Naruto! _

_She ran in the direction where the chaos seemed to have derived a source: where the biggest fight was. Her hunch proved true and she stepped into the clearing to see Sasuke and Naruto on opposite ends of a field of debris, each panting heavily. She saw Sasuke, heavily wounded with the marks of the spiraling rasengan, and Naruto with a Chidori-torn side limping heavily and sliding on the cracked debris._

_Sakura rushed forward and axe-kicked the ground, the debris flying away in the direction of the boy she once crushed over. Amidst the flying rock, she glimpsed his shocked face and felt a fierce surge of satisfaction. While she healed all of Naruto's minor cuts, the two shared a look that acknowledged their hurt and anger at Sasuke's betrayal, but their will to save him. _

_Sasuke emerged from the rubble with a loud curse just as Sakura began working on the Chidori wound, but his face looked like he would never be surprised again. In fact, he considered Sakura as a true enemy and attacked her as well as Naruto. Under the pressure of Sasuke's fierce blows, Sakura clasped her hand with one of Naruto's. "Rasengan, but better," she whispered. He nodded. "Let's do it." They leapt away from Sasuke, who relentlessly charged at them. _

"_One shot," Sakura whispered. "One chance. Let's put our all into this."_

_The moment Sasuke swung his blade, the moment their combined chakra released…a white force shattered the area completely, and Sasuke was blown away completely._

_Sakura and Naruto dropped hands, both of them feeling weary, but relieved._

"_Somehow, I still have chakra." Naruto laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "I know we didn't kill him." He pointed. "Look!"_

_The broken half of Team 7 rushed towards their semi-conscious friend and enemy._

_Sakura knelt at his side, and Naruto placed a hand on hers, transferring his chakra to her. Simultaneously, they took away Sasuke's pain._

"_Why?" Sasuke whispered brokenly._

"_Because…" Sakura began, but her throat was choked with an overwhelming emotion. Instead, she let her healing answer for her._

"_Because we love you, teme!" Naruto shouted. He helped Sasuke sit up a bit, and then punched him in the face._

"_I deserved that," Sasuke muttered, laughing a little. He sobered. "You guys have changed."_

_"I never wanted this." His voice was bitter. Sakura looked up quickly. "I have to kill him," she heard him whisper. "How long has he lived to torment Konoha?"_

_"Sasuke...kun..."_

_"TEME, do you know how much pain you've caused us? Leaving was bad enough - but invading?"  
_

_The missing-nin turned his face away. "I'll tell you everything. It's all my fault. All these lives lost…What did I do...?" He gripped Naruto's and Sakura's hands, the intimacy of the moment suddenly so shocking. "Can you still call me friend?" _

_"Of course!" Naruto shouted, with Sakura's weak but relieved echo._

_Their old teammate and friend leaned back, consumed in weariness and relief. "If Konoha calls for my execution...I'll accept it..."_

_Sakura had to ask, "What about your revenge?" _

_Sasuke didn't answer. She looked up from her healing to see his exhausted face smoothed away with oblivion. _

* * *

Sakura remembered with a thankful sigh. Sasuke wasn't executed, but his crimes were redeemed by three years of probation: years of rebuilding Konoha, helping the families of the ones he killed, and accepting every harsh word, insult, and spit thrust into his face. He was quiet, but uncharacteristically humble. He had changed, somehow being more introverted, but more open with the rest of Team 7.

It was then, she guessed, that she had begun to fall in love again…and he, with her.

But...did he tell her everything?

That lead up to the point where the Akatsuki, scattered after Pein's death, regrouped and added new members under a new and unknown force. They once again began their coup for demon capturing and village raiding, but Konoha's jounin and ANBU, Team 7 and the rest, were sent out to stop them.

Sakura looked out of the window, in her thirteen-year old body, and remembered the dark times of eighteen years when the Akatsuki killed the majority of her friends…and Sasuke.

_**That's enough, **_Yuugao scolded, but there was something gentle and understanding in her manner. _**It's time to sleep, kit. An early morning with the Sharingan wielders tomorrow.**_

_Yes, Yuugao-san...and thank you._

_**For what? **  
_

Sakura smiled at the surprise in the Nekomata's voice. _For...well, everything.  
_

She looked down into her hands at the three messy presents Sasuke had given her, the chosen representative of Team 7 to give the gifts.

Eager and curious, she carefully peeled the wrappings away and stared with awe at the things she knew she would cherish right away.

From Naruto, there was an old and very cuddly teddy bear that bore the marks of love. His card was covered in many scrawls and cross-outs, but legibly saying:

_To Sakura-chan, with lots of luv. His name is Huggly._

_-the future Hokage, the great Naruto Uzumaki!_

Sakura put Huggly on her bed, feeling "lots of luv." Next, she examined the scrolls Kakashi-sensei had gotten for her. They were documentaries of all rare and recorded bloodlines, their skills and shortcomings, and how they are best used and countered in battle. She smiled knowingly after reading the card, which merely stated, "Study this." _This IS a Kakashi-like present, to not bother shopping, but to give something useful._

And the last present…Sakura's eyes fell on the card that simply said, "Thank you." She snorted; it was so typical of the Uchiha. She wondered if it was because she helped him open his Sharingan...

She carefully unwrapped the gift and her eyes widened in surprise. There lay, gleaming in the moonlight, a pink-tinted glass hair comb meant for elaborate hair styles. The glass tines curved into a semicircle where there was a pale-pink ivory sakura blossom, amidst a backdrop of carved leaves.

_It's so beautiful...! _She carefully picked up the fragile hair ornament and was surprised that its glass was as durable as steel. _I wonder where this came from…_

She was surprised when Yuugao suddenly growled, _**That is either a fine replica, or the true masterpiece worn by Uchiha Madara's daughter, from whom the bloodline passed on. **_

_Wow…!_

_**Does the child know what he's giving to you, kit?**_

Sakura immediately knew the answer. _Yes. His pride in his legendary family wouldn't have allowed him to dispense such heirlooms easily._

Feeling as if her heart would burst with happiness, Sakura climbed into bed and fell asleep soon, eager for the oncoming day with Sasuke.

* * *

_To be continued…_


	8. Calm before the Storm

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, its storyline, or characters. However, this fanfiction is based on Naruto, and is my creation. THE GENERAL PLOTLINE WAS INSPIRED BY **-brezoflower- **'s story, ****If I Knew Then What I Know Now****! Read her story too, it's awesome. XD**

* * *

**C O L L A T E R A L - N A S C E N C E**

_**Second Beginnings**_

_**Chapter Eight: Calm before the Storm**_

* * *

"It's so nice out!" Sakura said wonderingly, circling in place and staring at the azure, unbroken sky. "How'd you ever bear staying on that misty, wet mountain, Yuugao-san?"

The demon cat purred and Sakura knew she enjoyed the day as much as she did. _**I'm an unregistered demon, you know. I intended to keep it that way. Much better than being captured or driven farther away. **_Sakura could almost imagine the magnificent Nekomata stretching out and basking in the sun as the demon admitted, _**I did miss sunlight and it tended to get lonely on my mountain. **_

Sakura neared Torii Bridge and saw with surprise that Kakashi and Sasuke were already there, both laying back on the hill and staring at the skies. "Morning!" she called. Kakashi sat up nervously, slowly taking off his headband. "Will the healing hurt?" Sakura smiled, seeing the jounin all aflutter – a rare behavior from her sensei, and rarer still when not on the battlefield.

"No," she remembered decidedly. She had healed Sasuke's Sharingan eyes once, when they were sixteen, from some damage caused by achieving the Mangekyo. She remembered the fear and awe she had felt, sitting there, and observing the mesmerizing change from onyx to jasper.

Sasuke silently watched, nodding once in acknowledgement of her cheerful greeting. Sakura whipped out a pillow and bade Kakashi to rest his head against it – and as he lowered, she slyly pressed a pressure point at the back of his neck. His eyes widened in surprise, then drowsily lowered. Sasuke started and finally spoke. "What are you doing?"

"Healing his Sharingan eye," Sakura said simply. "I thought that maybe he'd struggle less if he was asleep, so that's what I did."

Sasuke relaxed and Sakura felt the suspicion roll off of him. She smiled, her heart swelling in hope and instantly remembering the beautiful Uchiha ornament he entrusted her with. Not daring to look at him, she said, "I'll do this for you, one day, if it's okay with you."

"Hn."

How did he make a single syllable sound so endearing? But it was an agreement, a consent, right?

Sakura smoothed back Kakashi's stubborn hair and wondered at the softness of it. But to business – she placed her hands on his temples, and under Sasuke's scrutiny, softly filtered her chakra into Kakashi's optical nerves. The Sharingan retina was dry and damaged from a constant use, his nerves going haywire from expired chakra that was refreshed constantly. Sakura clucked her tongue in concern and soothed the irritated glands.

She checked, proving her hunch right, that the nerves were unable to close because of the foreign, lingering chakra of Uchiha Obito's and the barrier of Kakashi's own chakra, which was uncertain of the eye. _This disagreement is his fault, like his chakra's untrusting. Just like he never forgave himself for Obito and Rin's death…_Sakura reflected sadly.

Using her chakra as a mediator, she smoothed Obito's memory over the eye and Kakashi's over that, then "blurred" the boundary between the two with healing chakra that relieved the nerves. All this was done during a course of ten minutes, under constant examination of the tense Uchiha survivor beside her.

Finally, she sat back with a happy look at her work, peeking at the Sharingan eye, no longer Sharingan, that was now healed.

"That was quick," Sasuke said, stating the obvious and seeming a bit skeptical, but Sakura basked in the hidden praise. She gently shook her teacher's shoulder, who abruptly woke up.

"What happened?" Kakashi asked groggily. His eyes, uncovered by his hair and headband, blinked in the sunlight. Then softly, amazed, he exclaimed, "Everything looks so clear! I can open and close Sharingan at will now!" His eye bled crimson and quickly faded to its normal, dark blue hue. "What relief. My eyes feel so…" he couldn't find the words.

Sakura beamed, gratified.

"How'd you know how to heal this? Or heal at all?" Sasuke suddenly asked.

The medic-nin of six years practice squirmed at the barely-teen's inquiry. _He never did lose his keen sense as an ANBU._

"I study a lot," she shrugged uneasily. "My grandfather was a scholar and collected lots of information on bloodline enhanced eyesight." Half of it was true, but the other half was that she never looked at it, knowing that it was outdated.

However, Sakura passed the inspection and Kakashi relieved the tension with his thanks, saying, "I don't know how I could ever repay you!" Sakura laughed and merely replied, "Prepare us for the chuunin-exam."

Their teacher chuckled. "Impatient, aren't we? We only completed a few missions. But yes, the chuunin exams are in May. It's late March, so we better train." He glanced at Sakura. "I feel that I need to work with the boys, so may I…?" Sakura immediately perceived the double entendre. Kakashi had no need to "train" a jounin stronger than he was.

"Of course." She laughed.

Among this, Sasuke glanced from face to face, distinguishing a hidden connection between the two of them. He frowned, wondering how such a quick cooperation between the two of them was formed. Though he would never admit it, he wanted to fight Sakura once…

"We'll go over chuunin preparation specifics with Naruto later. Ichiraku Ramen later this evening?"

"Are you sure you could pay the bill? Sakura giggled, thinking of Naruto's bottomless cavern of a ramen-appetite.

Kakashi scratched his head and joked lightly, "I'm sure the three of us could exercise some…control…on the kid. Sakura, could you tell Naruto of our appointment? Sasuke and I need to talk about controlling and using Sharingan."

"Sure!" Sakura agreed, strolling over to the center of Konoha.

Sasuke watched her go, a hint that Kakashi took with a slight smile. _Sweet kids._

* * *

Team 7 took their time preparing for exams, taking missions, and doing basic training with their sensei, like tree-climbing with chakra and shuriken/kunai accuracy, stealth and intrusion techniques (which Naruto failed miserably at), and etc.

Finally, Kakashi came up with two missions that were impossible to pass by – the pay was excellent and the credit they would earn as shinobi would give them a favorable reputation and opportunities. However, there was a time overlap, and therefore, the team was split up.

"Someone's got to keep an eye on this kid," Kakashi declared, clamping a firm hand on Naruto's shoulder. "And that will be me. This may prove to be an _educative_," he stressed, "situation for Naruto-_kun _to learn how to be stealthy and deceptive!" Naruto wailed, reaching for Sakura and pleading to be with her, but to no avail. "How come teme gets to be with Sakura-chan?"

Kakashi stuffed his fingers in his ears and said pleasantly, "Sasuke-kun, you and Sakura will pose as brothers and sisters," handing Sakura the black hair dye, "for two weeks, to gather intel on the Wind Country's decision on chakra juggernaut research, an activity that is indecisively illegal. You are orphans who will be adopted by a Konoha double agent, a well-to-do government official of the Wind. As he cannot leave his important position or send us his news, you will be the messengers. Do not betray your identities as ninja, let alone Konoha shinobi. If you must, fake your deaths to come back to Konoha when the two weeks are up."

Sakura and Sasuke accepted solemnly, knowing that as other shinobi in the village were occupied, it was up to them to act. The rewards were great also…

Sakura contemplated the act. She was able to get into a role fairly well, having always been the sister or mother in the silly play-acts Ino had spun in their childhood. But as Sasuke-kun's sister? She was almost pleased with the thought…but was worried on what effect it might have. Sasuke said nothing, but to _pretend _to have a family again, after it was massacred by a _sibling. _Sakura knew that Sasuke could very well hate this mission and her afterward for being forced to act as he had a sibling again.

She sighed in worry and explained the mission to her mother, who listened patiently. She loved that about her mom, that she would be quiet and so understanding. Hearing her advice lifted Sakura's tense mood.

* * *

The next morning, Sakura "Kyouya" lifted her face to the mirror, her jade eyes staring back at her, shadowed by the convincingly real black bangs that outlined her face. She dried the wet, inky hair and tied it up, pinning the end up so that the spiky hair pointed upward. With some thought, she slid the Uchiha ornamental hair comb above the black spikes that were her usual-style bangs. _I do look like an Uchiha, _Sakura thought with a bit of surprise.

The effect was fine and Sakura remembered Kakashi warning to dress formally. _"You and Sasuke-kun are the children of the late Kotaro Kyouya, brother of Yukimura Kyouya, our Konoha double agent and Wind government official. Yukimura publicly adopted you in Wind, telling them that you two will be arriving from the Mist country soon." Kakashi handed them beautiful, but foreign-wove kimono. "This clothing is of the Wind country. Wear it so that the people will believe that Yukimura indeed sent expensive gifts to you before you arrived, for he is of wealthy status in Wind."_

Sakura examined the kimono. It was exquisite, a masterpiece that must have taken months to weave. It was a dark jade that matched her eyes, with a gold stitched dragon rising from the skirt, beyond the bronze and white obi, and up the front. She shyly stepped into the outfit and strode into the early morning, misty and quiet streets of Konohagakure with a small bag. Waiting for her at the gates was a carriage and Sasuke, wearing a dark blue kimono with a silver dragon and obi around his. Sakura put a clamp down on her admiring thoughts, but couldn't help noticing that Sasuke was _looking at her _too, from the comb in her hair to the fancy sandals on her feet.

He sharply drew in a breath as she turned, her black hair falling against her face while she stepped into the horse-drawn carriage. For an uncomfortable second, Sasuke saw his mother stepping into the Uchiha carriage, her black hair cut in exactly the same bangs Sakura had. He shook his head roughly. _Get a hold of yourself!_

Soon, the carriage was up and leaving Konoha far behind.

* * *

After two days of exhaustive and dreary carriage exchanging and riding, Sasuke and Sakura Kyouya reached the gates of Kazegakure. The sentinel sent for Yukimura Kyouya, who strode to the gates himself. "Thanks for coming," he whispered to his "adopted nephew and niece." "Your help is so important to Konoha and I."

They learned more about the political tension of Kazegakure: It was being ruled by two hokages - the second and the fourth. [The third had been killed by Sasori, who turned him into a puppet/the one with metallic sand abilities] The fourth was more ambitious, reaching for the research on a chakra-juggernaut, a self-recycling generator.

The second hokage of Kazegakure, a wise but well-aged man, welcomed them warmly, but there was a wan stress to his face.

"He's not a bad man," the Konoha spy admitted, "but it's his corrupt officers that aid the Fourth in researching the chakra juggernaut. It's a mere theory, but it's borderline evil and possibly illegal as well. For now, just stay put and enjoy the village. I'll relay my information to you. In two weeks, I'll tell the others that you are visiting your other relatives and later, announce that you have decided to stay with them officially."

"Isn't that a bit suspicious?" Sakura wondered aloud. "Two young people a bit _too _close in age, coming and going in the course of this government discussion? It could jeopardize your identity."

"We've thought of that." Yukimura said seriously, addressing the two of them as if they were adults. "The Second Kazekage is actually on our side, but because of his officials and passive nature, he is unable to express his unwillingness of the experiments. However, he will stand by my story." He added unnecessarily, "I have the ability to discern whether someone is telling the truth or not, and it testified to his vow."

So every day, Sasuke and Sakura languished at the Kyouya manor, discreetly training in the woods behind. Though they did not spar out of fear for the noise attraction, they did exchange quiet comments and advice. Every night, the three Kyouyas had dinner (Yukimura was single) and he told them every bit he knew about the debate. It eventually fell upon Sakura to cook as Yukimura's paled in comparison to her gourmet. For a week and a half, everything seemed to be okay and Yukimura prepared for their return to Konoha.

However, a political tempest raged over Kazegakure as it was made known that six out of ten officials voted for the research. The fact that the Second Kazekage was in the minority seemed to tip the most ambitious and strongest of shinobi official to decide a revolt. The elderly man was attacked and almost killed the night before Sasuke and Sakura's departure. The two watched out a window in worry when they saw the center of Kazegakure's government blaze in a sudden inferno. Yukimura burst into the mansion. "_Our_ cover is blown, but thankfully not Konoha's involvement!" he bellowed, a heavily bleeding Kazekage leaning on his shoulder. "Hurry! We're running to Konoha. No time to access private transportation."

The two genin hurried into their ninja clothing, discarding all Wind semblances, though Sakura quickly pocketed her hair comb. Yukimura allowed Sakura to quickly patch up the Kazekage, who was too feeble to speak. Then they were off, racing through the treetops to Konoha. When night descended, they took shifts to keep alert until they were well within Konoha lands. Within a day, they stumbled exhaustively into the gates and were immediately let in.

Yukimura and Sasuke went straight to Konoha's headquarters to report while Sakura volunteered to let the weak Kazekage stay at her house, knowing that her ethical and decent parents would not object. His weight was too much to bear and they fell in the road late at night, no one out to help them. Sakura finally completed healing him and he regained his ability to walk, thanking her as much as he could muster.

"You're a godsend." He exclaimed, "You remind me so much of my daughter."

They finally reached her house and Sakura fumbled with her key. In a few moments, the Haruno parents rushed down to see the racket, expecting their daughter, but not…

Sakura's mother gasped. "Father?"

* * *

**NOTES: **The Second Kazekage, according to Narutopedia (xD) was a researcher. He studied jinchuuriki.

For my purposes, he is Sakura's grandfather here, the one noted to write the medical studies boxed in her attic.

_To be continued…_


	9. Tempest in the Forest of Death

**NOTES: **The Second Kazekage, according to Narutopedia (xD) was a researcher. He studied jinchuuriki.

For my purposes, he is Sakura's grandfather here, the one noted to write the medical studies boxed in her attic.

ALSO, the Haruno clan is the keeper of Konoha's library.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, its storyline, or characters. However, this fanfiction is based on Naruto, and is my creation. THE GENERAL PLOTLINE WAS INSPIRED BY **-brezoflower- **'s story, ****If I Knew Then What I Know Now****! Read her story too, it's awesome. XD**

* * *

**C O L L A T E R A L - N A S C E N C E**

_**Second Beginnings**_

_**Chapter Nine: Tempest in the Forest of Death**_

* * *

Sakura looked on in shock, from her mother's youthful and unreadable face to the weary one of…

"Grandfather?" she whispered.

The refugee Second Kazekage of the Wind Country glanced at Sakura, his eyes noting her hair color. She hastily combed her hair with chakra-tipped fingers, restoring the natural pigment there. His face registered a quiet sadness that looked so unbearably lonely that Sakura wanted to reach out to him. Instead, she scanned his face, looking for the resemblance to the wisp of memory that was her grandfather. She found it; in every contour of his face and slivers of the exact shade of chestnut that was her mother's hair color.

Haruno Akemistepped in front of Sakura. With a tremor in her voice, she warned her daughter, "Get away from here, Sakura. He's a murderer!"

The Kazekage simply bowed his head in dejection as Akemi ignored Sakura's cry of protest. "Oh, I have no excuse to oppose that title…but Akemi, won't you listen to me? Agreeing to Sunagakure's experiments was a grave mistake that I could never atone for. Don't abandon me now!"

Akemi _(bright) _callously shook off his reach. "I've abandoned you long ago, father."

Daichi (_great wisdom)_ rested a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Calm down, Akemi. Let's give your father a chance."

Sakura, disregarded in this matter, was following the conversation with a mind of bedlam and confusion.

She had remembered a warm, huggable man that always put sakura crowns in her hair on the few visits he made to her family. Was he this drained stranger in front of them?

Akemi heaved a breath and grudgingly lead them to the living room, taking Sakura's hand. "You'd better hear this," she said grimly. When they were seated, Akemi stared at her father as if he were nothing more than a criminal and not her biological nurturer. "Talk."

The Second Kazekage's eyes pleaded with Sakura's uncommitted face as he sighed.

"My name is Haruno Michio, a name so ironic in its meaning, _Man of the Correct Path. _I was a traveling ninja that left the Haruno Clan and Konoha Haruno Library. I wanted to spread my medical research to other lands, like ignorant and poverty-induced Kazegakure. I left my abandoned researched here."

Sakura mentally ticked off the facts. Yes, her parents did own Konoha's prosperous library, and yes, his outdated work was left in the attic.

"When I reached Kazegakure, its potential for becoming a wealth of intelligence and research was ruined by drought. As the people had come to love me within the fifteen years I stayed there, I replaced their tyrant Second Kage. I grew old." He chuckled bitterly. "The Third, who I co-ruled with for a time, was killed by Akatsuki. His cousin became the Fourth. He demanded his own land and split the village to two, calling it Sunagakure."

"And then the people hated you," Akemi interjected with a resigned triumph. "For being weak! And not stopping the Fourth's tyranny."

"Yes," he admitted. "I was weak. I gave him more power by putting a bijuu into his hands, implanting it in his wife." His face twisted into self-hate and disgust. "I helped him, and that I regret. I ruined any chance of a good life for that unborn son…Sabaku no Gaara. He's around your age now, Sakura, and more deadly than you could ever presume."

_Oh, but I can and I know, _Sakura thought bitterly, remembering the struggle that the Naruto-converted insomniac and almost too-late-to-save murderer had to go through to achieve redemption. Gaara, who in his later years, was so kind to her before he died trying to save Naruto from the Akatsuki…

She regarded the man who put all the suffering of the demon world into Gaara with a cold fury that was keenly met with the innerly growling of Yuugao; the demon capsule jumped as she almost forgot the presence of the Nekomata.

But underneath, she felt sorry for the pitiful old man in front of her, whose actions reduced him to a powerless and guilty memory.

"Afterwards, he realized he had complete control of me. He constantly sent his powerful officials to influence my decisions. I never had any control; I was just a ceremonial figure." Michio shook his head in shame.

"But suddenly, he changed...his decisions became downright immoral. He merged our lands together under the name of Sunagakure, and told me that we still 'shared' power...but it was a lie. He formed an alliance with the newborn village of 'Sound'. I don't know what he intends to do, but he's planning something, and it's not right."

Sakura listened with dread. She realized, that the change in the Fourth Kazekage, Gaara's father, was not that simple - somewhere in that political turmoil, Orochimaru had killed him and played out roles of both Kazekage and Otokage. Then, 'they', the one man, planned the invasion on Konoha during the Chuunin exams...

"Sakura, it's your decision. Should this despicable excuse of a human being stay here in Konoha with the Haruno Clan he abandoned, or should we give him up?" Akemi finally deferred to her daughter. The venom still remained in her voice, but some of its viciousness had withered away.

"I think he should stay," Sakura said slowly. "He could help Konoha with his medical findings," she glanced at her grandfather, their eyes meeting. She made it clear with an air of finality. "With the _good _research."

Michio broke down, weeping. "Thank you, Mawata…" he murmured, not realizing that had addressed his savior with a different name…

* * *

Next morning, Sakura tiredly stumbled out of her room and down the stairs. Seeing the guest room ajar gave her a push into the reality of the previous night. Suddenly wide awake, Sakura rushed into the empty kitchen, not surprised that her parents were already at their library, working. She scanned the house for her grandfather and found him in their peaceful garden, staring at the sakura drifting from the trees.

They silently acknowledged each other and sat down on the knoll.

"So…tell me about yourself," Sakura said, pointedly avoiding his familial title to address.

Michio's refreshed but still worn face smiled contentedly as he reminisced.

"I was adopted by the Haruno Clan at a young age, when my family was killed by bandits. That's when Haruno Mawata adopted me, a vivid and courageous woman of the scholarly Haruno Clan with pink hair just like yours. I grew up happy in the library and married one of Mawata's nieces, my childhood sweetheart, Ayako (_Color) _Haruno. I took her clan name, as I didn't know mine. We had your mother, Akemi, and were overjoyed to see that she had inherited part of both of us; my hair color and her jade eyes. We always wondered why none of the third generation had pink hair." His eyes fell upon his granddaughter's hair and he smiled, his expression reflecting his once-happy memories.

Sakura knew the answer to that one, having tested some strands of her hair in the future with the purpose of finding exactly the same thing. "Pink hair is Haruno-only; a recessive gene that is female-inherited and passed on from grandmother to granddaughter, meaning every other generation."A smile lit on Michio's face, much like how Sakura smiled after learning something new and medical.

She couldn't keep from asking, "Where _is_ Ayako...my grandmother...?"

The light in his eyes dimmed as he murmured, "Ayako died in an S-class mission that required her vast knowledge. I ran the Konoha library at that time, and passed it down to your mother, who had married and had you. I decided it was time to pass my medical knowledge to countries that needed it, so I left Konoha."

Sakura's compassion grew for this stranger she easily took to. In silence, they both watched the beautiful sakura drift breezily through the sky. "Thank you for telling me all this...Grandfather."

* * *

"Good job on your mission," Kakashi said by way of greeting to Sasuke and Sakura at Torii Bridge. Naruto was still moping about how boring his own mission was and babbled about Kakashi's perverted habits and unrestrained read-alouds of his X-rated reading material.

"It's a good thing Konoha's part in infiltration wasn't exposed," he continued, casually reaching out and punching Naruto to silence him. "And I hear the former Kazekage is staying at your house and is actually, your grandfather."

Sakura nodded, unsurprised that the news had spread so quickly in the busy and info-wildfire land that was Konohagakure. "Yes. He's at the Third Hokage's office for Suna intel and interrogation."

Kakashi offered a reassuring pat on Sakura's head and addressed them all. "The Chuunin-exams are next week now. I have a single warning: Killing is not allowed, but feisty ninjas that don't hold back…simply don't hold back. This is brutal. They will be deemed "accidents" and forgotten." He continued.

"After the 3rd Ninja World War, all villages agreed to hold the exams together in village turns, to strengthen alliances and peace. This year, it is being held at Konoha. The exam is a test of all shinobi qualities, not only of strength. While match winners are able to proceed, it is more of skill rather than victory, that is evaluated to determine whether a genin is promoted."

Naruto crowed in excitement, not really understanding the weight behind the exam other than that it sounded dangerous.

Sakura huffed, "It's serious, Naruto! People really die in there!" Sakura dismally recalled every terrifying experience in the Forest of Death, but couldn't help remembering that point as a poignant change in her life, the moment she truly wanted to be a ninja.

Kakashi nodded. "And as missions are held off from genin teams to allow exams to resume uninterruptedly, you'll spend this week in training. Every morning here, from 7 AM to 7 PM, we'll be working on chuunin-class survival techniques. Bring your lunches," his revealed, nonSharingan eyes smiled at Sakura, who brought lunch for the whole team everyday without fail, "and work hard. As I've already nominated you three this morning for exams, I'd like to see all of you as chuunins by the next season."

Their sensei brandished two bells, their laughing jangle reminding Sakura of a happy not-so-long-ago…

They all settled into stance.

"Come at me."

* * *

Around 300 genin of multicultural villages gathered at the electric fence of Shi no Mori, the Forest of Death.

Sakura felt Yuugao stirring restlessly.

_**I sense my brothers! How I long to call…**_the Nekomata growled. _**Kit, if you will give me the chance, I will gladly stop the two demon capsules from fighting each other in the forest!**_

_Shhh, _Sakura made soothing noises. _In good time. In the forest, when Naruto and Gaara meet, the moment will come. If you could create another time paradox…_

_**I can.**_

_Then you will have the chance to converse with your brothers._

_**My thanks, kit.**_

_Any time._

_**Time. What irony…**_

The genin were ushered into testing rooms. All but Sakura exchanged puzzled glances as Morino Ibiki strode into the room with written tests to pass out.

"What is this?"

"A written exam!"

"Thought this was about survival…"

"These Konoha pansies don't know how to test real chuunin!"

"Quiet!" The top torture interrogator barked. He began listing the rules, to further complaints, and final trick warnings. Many genin stood up and left, their heads bowed in humiliation. Sakura laughed at herself, recollecting the inner struggle she had back then, not knowing the deception and not trusting in Naruto's intelligence. She glanced at the exam and smirked. Although she knew it was a test on intel-gathering and "cheating," she wrote down the answers anyways…

Sakura glanced around the room, seeing the lecture hall was reduced by half as genin were introduced to the door from being caught.

After an hour passed, Ibiki stood and proclaimed, "Alright. Before I tell you the last question, let me give you a final warning! Your whole career rides on this question! Failing this will ban you from the chance of ever taking the chuunin exam ever again."

Cries arose from the remaining genin who had struggled so hard and again, the populace in the room was quickly reduced. Naruto climbed onto his table and shouted hastily, "I'm not giving up! I don't care! Even if I'm going to be genin forever, I'm still going to be Hokage!"

"I'll ask you again. This is your last chance to quit." Ibiki stared at the overexcited genin straight in the eyes, almost pleased with the will that the kid had. _78 genin left. More than I expected…he blasted all their worries away!_

He waited for a moment; watching the tense children squirm under internal pressure, save for the Sand siblings and Team 7.

"I congratulate you all! You have passed the first exam of many more."

"What about the tenth question?" such cries arose from various genin, but Naruto only slumped back with a big grin on his face of relief.

"Courage to "take it" or the cowardice to leave…that determined this test. There was no tenth question. Such courage is demanded in the shinobi life and courage was tested here."

Suddenly, the glass lining the room shattered and a blurred kunoichi leaped into the room, to Ibiki's groan. _Not her…not now! _

The proctor straightened, abruptly pulling out a banner and brandishing her 'magnificent' persona.

"This is no time to be celebrating! I am Mitarashi Anko, examiner of the second exam!"

Sakura sighed. _Another Naruto._

The confrontation between Anko and Naruto played out exactly as it had before, until Anko finally paid attention to the matter at explained to them about the Forest of Death.

"This is simply survival. Reach the tower in the center of the forest with these two scrolls," she showed them the Earth and Heaven scrolls, "with your team still alive, and you pass onto the third exam. _However!_" she shouted, an excited and bloodthirsty grin splitting her jaw. "Your team will receive one of these two. Fight the others to retrieve its counterpart!" She licked her lips. "And sign this warrant to accept that _severe injury and death _is a tolerated responsibility of is a tolerated responsibility of _yours, _not mine."

"And there's a time limit, of 120 hours. Exactly 5 days. The forest is full of food, all right…just avoid the man-eating beasts and poisonous insects and horticulture. Here are restrictions: first, being that you do not collect the scrolls and meet rendezvous point in the time limit. Second, that any teammate dies, and that there is no escaping from the forest and quitting. Third, that the contents of the scrolls in your possession are not opened. That's it. The warrant will be exchanged for one of the scrolls, and then you will enter through a gate of your choice."

Anko surveyed the 26 genin teams scrambling to obey her orders, amidst complaints, voiced worries, and exultations of confidence. She smirked; this test would certainly silence most of them…

Finally, they aligned at the gates and Anko watched the last seconds tick away till…

"Begin!" she shouted.

Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke leapt into the forest, quickly taking stock of their first – or second, in Sakura's case – experience with their surroundings. Immediately, Sakura threw a kunai in the direction of the prepared Naruto-imposter. A curse shrieked from the bushes as the grass-nin tumbled out. "Close call, girlie," he spat. Sasuke engaged him in combat via introducing his fire jutsu with an impressive display. Not willing to be showed up so easily, Naruto cheerfully dived into battle with the other grass-nin that quickly appeared after. Sakura searched the area for the last one, the one who had tried disguise as Naruto and recite their codeword the last time…Orochimaru!

_**I smell the presence of one who has meddled in jutsu and chakra that should better have been left alone... **_Yuugao growled menacingly. The scent was deeply troubling, one of death and the stench of dark chakra miasma.

_Help me rid the world of this evil…_

The kunoichi dove to the patch of suspicious ground and summoned her abilities with a cry. "Hisui tantō!" The dagger sliced the smoke that immediately rose and part of the ninja's long hair. A presence of large chakra entered Sakura's sense radius and she tensed. The giant snake! She could only hope to fend off Orochimaru.

As the snake approached Naruto, Sasuke rushed to aid Sakura, but only jeopardized her mission. Her list of changes snapped through her mind - _Target Sound-nin immediately, Prevent Sasuke from getting Curse-Sealed, Get the other Scroll…_Sakura discarded the first and last and concentrated, mentally screaming _No curse seal – please no no no –_

The grass-nin swallowed his Heaven scroll and licked his lips with his disgustingly long tongue. "Let's enjoy this," he whispered – and revealed his true chakra signature, and a ripple of ki shrieked toward them like sound waves that repelled them. Sakura watched Sasuke shudder in fear and become paralyzed and sighed. At this point, she and Orochimaru's powers were _equal, _so it was all up to Sasuke in whether or not she could win. If he didn't distract her, she could overpower the sannin and kill him here – but if Sasuke got in the way…

Sakura snapped her fingers and bit her thumb, drawing symbols rapidly on the ground. Though she didn't want to do this without a scroll, it couldn't be helped…

"Oh? A summoning? Don't try to trick me," he smirked broadly, utterly confident that a thirteen-year old whelp could never…

But she did…but it also wasn't a summoning. Under his increasingly worrying scrutiny, she completed the runes and whispered under her breath, "I call upon the name, essence, and spirit; mind, heart, and body; intelligence, life, and strength; Earth and Heaven and Demon World; the invocation of the Ten-Tailed Nekomata Yuugao, as she resides in me, may I reside in her might!" Sakura could only hope this adjusted Summon combined with an ancient incantation on Demons would work, as one; she was summoning something inside of her, and two, the incantation usually worked on demons in their otherworld only.

_Please..._

_**As you wish.**_

The earth split with a shattering, blinding light…

* * *

-_To be continued…_

**Thanks for your reviews! Please look forward to the next chapter :)**


	10. The First Demon Resonance

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, its storyline, or characters. However, this fanfiction is based on Naruto, and is my creation. THE GENERAL PLOTLINE WAS INSPIRED BY **-brezoflower- **'s story, If I Knew Then What I Know Now! Read her story too, it's awesome. XD**

* * *

**C O L L A T E R A L - N A S C E N C E**

_**Second Beginnings**_

_**Chapter Ten: The First Demon Resonance**_

* * *

The chakra monitor nearby began beating fiercely, and its supervisor watched intently. The only sign of excitement was the betrayal of a single tremor of his hands, resting on his suddenly painful temples.

Bloodred eyes opened, dark shuriken swirling lazily in each. The man stood up and swiftly passed through labyrinthine corridors, finally stopping at cold iron stairs that descended into unfathomable depths. His steps raced down the steel until his feet met dirt. A cavern, underneath the metal quarters above him, hid like a sprawling arachnid, its many messy tunnels leading to a single point – the shinobi's destination.

"Leader," he murmured at a cloaked silhouette. His – or her – back faced the shinobi, its head tilted upwards at a monstrous figure mantled by darkness.

"A demon has appeared, in the south. In Konoha."

The silhouette turned around, unsurprised at the words, until the other continued –

"One we've never seen before."

The masked figure finally faced the other. It rose out of deep thought and suddenly, another sanguine eye most similar – but different to the first pair illuminated the gloom of the cavern.

"Itachi, what does this mean?"

"We have kept tabs on all nine demons. This tenth seems to be stronger – much more so than any of its brethren. The chakra monitor was almost damaged by the register."

"…I see…"

"This sudden re-emerging from demon obscurity must mean one thing – there are more demons than the extent of our knowledge, or this is an old one, one marked as legend."

The listener suddenly threw his head back and laughed.

"The hundred-plumed phoenix _is _a myth; I made sure of that, young nephew." The musing voice continued with a mocking lilt to its tone. "Just fix the monitor and return to your work."

Itachi shifted restlessly, his impatience registered by his clenched hands.

"Chakra signatures don't lie. This demon must have found a vessel – a human chakra was clamped down over it, but somehow…" he drifted off, wondering at what he had seen, and what he had yet to witness once he saw this demon for himself. "Somehow, the chakra didn't seem there…but _is_ there, a paradox. Like it doesn't belong. And the human containing the power seems to be sharing the power…"

"A mutual relationship?" the Akatsuki's leader's tone was suddenly steely. "There has been a record of this before…"

Itachi bowed his head in realization. "Yes, of course…you're right."

"The Ten-Tailed Nekomata."

The man threw back his head and laughed - then stopped suddenly. The tone of his voice was dark, but pleased as he spoke. "The Ten-Tailed One reveals herself at last. I knew that the sealing of the moon must have been a lie..."

"What do we need to do?"

"Nothing," the command was abrupt, "for now. But the Moon's Eye Plan will succeed." The masked figure turned to his underling. "You are dismissed."

When Itachi had left, the man toyed with the amethyst ring inscribed with _'Tama' _("soul") on his left thumb.

"Yuugao...you've returned."

* * *

Limitless.

Sakura felt her body surge with pure, boundless and archaic chakra. She felt fulfilled, limitless, free of all rules. She was wild, she was a demoness, the avatar of the ungovernable demonkind. A sudden, calm euphoria descended on her weightless shoulders and Sakura breathed in air with unadulterated delight. She opened her eyes and saw every color, every chakra aura _enhanced, _her very breath was cataloged in her vision as a frail evanescent steam. The forest was alive with chakra light and nothing, nothing prioritized in her limited human mind before, seemed to matter now.

_Yuugao-san, it's so beautiful! _She exulted.

The Nekomata purred smugly, but her response was more cautionary. _**Look to the enemy, Sakura. What do you see?**_

Sakura unwillingly tore her eyes away from the glowing forest, once so desolate and forbidding, and lowered her gaze to Orochimaru. His face was livid with mixed fury and shock.

What mattered to Sakura, however, was his aura. Numerous tormented souls of every single body Orochimaru had possessed or killed, were tied around his limbs. They were clawing and shrieking at Orochimaru's face, futilely crying at his feet, and yet…he was oblivious to the grief and despair so blatant to her enlightened eyes.

_Corruption, _Sakura murmured, her euphoria dimmed.

_**Yes, **_the Nekomata replied grimly. _**You're chakra-sight had seen his aura before, but with demon eyes, each detail of the aura is tied in. **_

_That's terrible! _Sakura suddenly wanted to weep; the sight was so awful to her human conscious.

_**This is what you inherit, as my vessel. The cursed eyesight of all souls, beautiful and hideous.**_

_Is this what Naruto sees as the Kyuubi?_

_**Yes.**_

_If he can endure it, then I must as well!_

_**Then I accept your resolve.**_

As Yuugao's sentiments aligned with hers, Sakura surged with jade fire. She darted towards the sannin and plunged into his abdomen a fist inflamed with chakra. For a split second, she grinned fiercely into his stunned face, just before he was slammed into the ground.

The resulting crater, a good twenty foot diameter, shook the earth and billowed smoke and dust to the heavens. Sakura landed at its perimeter and straightened, smiling grimly at her work with satisfaction.

_You know that time paradox we were talking about?_

The bijuu read her mind. _**No, we can't use it now. Use what you can to defeat him; sadly, I don't have enough power to stop time and allow you to kill him in seconds. It would also attract attention in the case that someone is watching us. Inevitably, meddling with time is a tiresome and chakra-draining ability, even more so than lending you my power. We must use it only when an inescapable opportunity faces us.**_

_You're right. _A thought quickly forced its way into Sakura's mind and she frantically scanned the area.

"How could I forget?"

She found the bright chakra source that was Sasuke, amidst the glowing trees and grass.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Fiercely worried and admonishing herself, Sakura ran to him and found that he was unconscious, but a swift pat-down reassured her that he was unhurt. Yuugao helped Sakura erase the memories of his last few minutes of consciousness – the work of breaking a few thin chakra strands that flowed around his temples.

The kunoichi quickly tugged the boy's body underneath an opening of a tree's roots and raced towards the crater, where the sage was staggering up.

_**To be expected. A sannin couldn't have been taken down with that blow, even if it's both of us, Sakura. Work steadily and he'll be down soon though, his wounds leave him vulnerable. **_Yuugao advised as she enveloped her vessel in a shield of pure chakra as the kunoichi settled into her fighting stance.

Orochimaru's face, veiled by his hair, didn't look up to Sakura. She waited apprehensively waited for him to attack, but an eerie tumult of laughter greeted her surprised system instead.

"What a pleasant surprise!" the sannin threw his head back and raised his eyes up to the sky. "How lucky for me…"

Sakura still waited, silently. Her muscles tensed before she bolted towards him, ready to unleash one of her strongest jutsus.

When her fistful of chakra was just a few centimeters from his face, the earth underneath her suddenly broke and rose upwards. The kunoichi gasped, caught off guard, but Yuugao's wind shield regained her footing on a bough. Sakura watched the scene below, as a snake tunneled out and bowed its head, allowing Orochimaru on. The serpent rose, its strange gold eyes level with the tree branch Sakura precariously balanced. Its nostrils sniffed the air once and recoiled.

"_What's this?" _Manda hissed in fury. _"You useless brat have summoned me to battle against a demon girl? Let me go!"_

Orochimaru didn't respond, which Sakura supposed, was a fit enough answer.

"_LET ME GO!" _the serpent shrieked. _"A fool's battle. You'll kill us both!"_ In an earnest effort, the summoned beast writhed to incapitate its beckoner, but to futile means. The sannin merely planted his feet firmly and performed a seal. Manda gave a sudden scream before becoming very still and bowing his head as his eyes dulled.

"Good," he smiled, his eyes wicked with a sadist gleam.

"Let's play, then."

Manda's tail whipped through the air and smashed the tree Sakura stood on, but predicting this, she flipped into the air and opened her palms, letting streaks of chakra escape. The jade bolts of lightning hovered in the air beautifully for a second, before crashing down fatally upon the snake's head. Orochimaru ducked, drawing his arms over his head. When his face reappeared, he smiled manically.

"So, what demon are you? Who is the prey I shall play with today?" he seemed to be very amused at his rhyming. "Nevertheless, a little girl like you can't control your demon. I think I'll have a little fun with you, hmm?"

Sakura's rage ignited as she pushed off her feet from another tree and hurtled towards the sage.

"I would never tell you, scum! She and I fight together!"

Yuugao's roar echoed through the forest and her aura descended on Sakura's and merged, allowing the kunoichi's speed and power to double. A sonic boom resounded as her alacrity surpassed the human barriers. Jade flashes tantalized Orochimaru's vision as he looked around frantically and left himself unguarded to stabs of Sakura's _Hisui Ken. _Finally gathering his wits, the sage grabbed the girl's forearm and jabbed at her chakra katana with blazing fingers. The glittering blade shattered and taken aback, Sakura barely missed the shadowy lance of chakra that was suddenly in the sage's hands.

The wounded kunoichi jumped backwards and crouched on a tree trunk with chakra-footed holding. A quickly spared glance at her side dampened her spirits – the bloody opening was hissing with black poison – but to her astonishment, the seething liquid suddenly vanished and the injury was quickly sealing.

_**Demon healing, **_the Nekomata preened smugly. _**Let's go.**_

_Thanks! _Sakura lurched unsteadily on the tree and regained her composure, ready to meet the sannin once more.

Orochimaru grimaced at her quick recovery, more uneasy than his face showed. _That's no synthetic demon, it's a real one. Not just a fifth class oni either…the strength this girl exhibits is using the power of a second class…no! A first! A demon lord! But it can't be….aren't there only nine demon lords? _He scrutinized the kunoichi, whose silhouette blazed with jade fire. There weren't any animalistic characteristics, which was odd. _Where is the demon? Where are the tails? _But if he looked closely, weren't the shadows of ten silver whips flickering in and out of the dimensions?

Sakura shifted anxiously under his revolting gaze and launched into attack, utilizing a different front. _I've got to immobilize that snake. _She ventured as close as she dared near Orochimaru and threw her _Hisui Hari _at Manda's eyes. The needles met their mark and the serpent thrashed, crushing much of the forest and spraying ruby droplets everywhere.

"Ugh," the kunoichi muttered in dismay, dodging the flailing tail and darting towards the enraged sannin. A series of his rapid seals dismissed the agonized reptile and the two ninja dropped to the utterly decimated forest ground. They met each others' eyes and readied for next blows when a tremendous explosion sounded nearby. Both glanced towards the direction and saw…

"Yuuuuck!" came a familiar cry. "_I'm _not doing that again. Gross." Naruto and a couple of clones, which were promptly dismissed, stumbled through a bush. The said future-hokage looked unreservedly disgusted; reasonably, as he was covered in serpent bowels.

"Naruto!" Sakura cried with relief, forgetting her own situation. "Ahh…" she immediately noticed the chakra fire playing around her form and Yuugao reacted quickly, concealing the blaze with another false shadow.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto called happily. "Who's that guy?"

_Yuugao-san, now's a good time to create another time paradox, _Sakura thought excitedly. _Hurry!_

Suddenly, movement seemed to drastically slow. The Forest of Death, flaring with life in its overgrowth in Sakura's enhanced vision, blurred and shifted in the wind at a snail's pace. Seconds turned to minutes, minutes to hours, and then time abruptly shuddered to a stop.

_**I did it…**_the Nekomata panted, sounding wholly exhausted.

Her vessel looked around and saw that it was true. Though time seemed to revert at its normal pace, the things normally affected by it weren't moving at all! Orochimaru stood frozen, his face unchanging in its expression of annoyance. There was no wind; no lively air drifted across Sakura's skin or played with the trees. The kunoichi looked up. The clouds and birds were stationary in the sky, as if the sky had suddenly turned into a painted upturned bowl.

_Amazing…_Sakura finally glanced at Naruto who was looking around frantically and as astounded as she was. Sakura felt her legs moving towards the flabbergasted ninja. _Yuugao? _She asked, frightened.

_**I'm going to bring out the Kyuubi within Naruto, **_the bijuu said solemnly. _**I need to control your body so you'll be more protected against Naruto's **__pure__** jinchuriki aura. Though I'm temporarily in your body because of the improvised summon seals, there's a chance that you'll be seriously burnt by the awakening of the Kyuubi's chakraform within Naruto.**_

_O-okay…_Sakura replied shakily. It wasn't a matter of trust, Yuugao was well worthy and knew what she was doing. The concept just didn't appeal to her very much, she decided.

The said jinchuriki felt her body feel scorching and wintry and heavy and light in a uncomfortable series of flashes. Her chakra flames, no longer concealed by Yuugao's shadow, burst out into a supernova flare, even brighter than before. She felt her conscious almost separated from her body, as if she were hovering above scene and watching the beings below.

Naruto could only stare in shock, but suddenly, his eyes glazed over, as if he was remembering something and trying to pull back a memory from centuries ago.

The Kyuubi-container dropped onto all fours, his fingernails tapering into claws and his eyes gilded over with a beautiful but alien gold, alive with vitality and wildness. However, his tails didn't emerge, a relieving

Sakura felt her mouth open and an intimidating voice issued forth, the feline-rough but almost mesmerizing quality.

**Kyuubi, my brother!**

The chakra-fox encompassing the boy's very human form growled, his eyes turning over the demon lord in wary unease. It was evident that the demon had spent a long ways from his kind for centuries and his eyes looked weary and haunted from his time, enslaved first by Uchiha Madara, and next entrapped within a newborn.

After sniffing the air and circling the patient Nekomata, the Kyuubi lowered his head in a semblance of submission, a proud but adequate admission of inferiority of a demon lord to another.

**Nee-sama! How long it has been…How human my chakra feels now, from my captivity with these fools…! Sister, release me! I am suffering!**

**In good time, Kitsu-chan. We have a mission, imouto. All of our siblings, the tailed demon lords, are chained to the Humanworld as well.**

The Kyuubi bowed his head in anguish.** Nee-sama, I feel it…my essence is draining from staying too long here.**

The Nekomata lightly bumped her brother's muzzle. **I know, and I'm sorry. But six years, and you and our brothers and sisters will be free, if we plan things right. **She gestured at the young girl nestled in the chakra fire of her towering form. **This girl has agreed to help me. **

**A human? **The Kyuubi snorted in disdain. **I have met many humans, and even the most admirable may be as loathsome as that Uchiha Madara.**

The Nekomata wordlessly touched her forehead to her brother's, sharing with him a collage of scent and sound memories and pictures, codes discernable by animals as a warning, danger, trust, or safety.

**What a formidable thing you have done, **the Kyuubi said in awe, drawing away. **What you are doing is dangerous and forbidden, nee-sama! **

His sister nodded gravely, but her response was suddenly warm and, in Sakura's opinion, very human like. **But I'd go through the most desperate lengths to free our family, Kitsu-chan. It's no matter to me if I die, as long as my vengeance for us, and our freedom, is fulfilled.**

She shifted and her chakraform seemed to lose some of its vigor, like static. **I have to let go. But know this, brother. Cooperate with me. Talk to me through your vessel, from time to time, and we can save all the demon lords.**

The Kyuubi nodded once, and satisfied, both chakra demons shrank and their vessels dropped to the ground in weariness. With a quiet click, or what sounded like puzzle pieces snapping together, time was reestablished once again.

* * *

_To be continued…_


	11. The Preliminary Exams

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, its storyline, or characters. However, this fanfiction is based on Naruto, and is my creation. THE GENERAL PLOTLINE WAS INSPIRED BY **-brezoflower- **'s story, If I Knew Then What I Know Now! Read her story too, it's awesome. XD**

* * *

**C O L L A T E R A L - N A S C E N C E**

_**Second Beginnings**_

_**Chapter Eleven: The Preliminary Exams**_

* * *

Sakura felt strangely drained as her knees gave out, collapsing onto the forest floor. In the corner of her eyes, she saw Naruto, reacting likewise.

"Wha-!" Sakura stumbled towards Naruto and knocked him unconscious, scattering the thin chakra threads of memory circling around his head, exposed to visibility by her demon-enhanced eyes.

"Sorry, Naruto-kun," she murmured, straightening up to face Orochimaru.

_Why didn't we kill him in the time-stop, Yuugao-san? _Sakura wondered exasperatedly. The sannin looked dazed, as if he was trying to figure something out. However, he was coming to and settling into stance with a wary and unreadable face.

_**In a time-stop, once we have an intention of physically or mentally interacting with a living being, the being's "time" continues. If we attacked him while he was frozen, his time would immediately resume because of our intentions toward him, even if it was harmless.**_

_That's why Naruto and Kyuubi moved; we had intention to interact. So there are rules to time..._

_**Indeed. At least we can remove the memory from certain parties, like Naruto-kun's.**_

Sakura unsheathed her chakra sword from thin air and charged at the sannin. Surprised, he barely avoided it – her feint. The moment she reached a foot away from him, she sucked the chakra back into her hand and closed it, forming one powerful punch towards the space he dodged to. The sannin hurtled backwards into a thick tree, but smashed through and continued on for a ways. The kunoichi relentlessly followed his traverse and axe kicked his body down to the forest floor, mustering all the endurance she could.

_Why do I feel so drained?_

_**You must feel the strain from our connection, kit. **__**I apologize, I'm conducting time from the frozen point, the present. A time stop within a replayed time, or, a stop within a time stop, is quite taxing.**_

Sakura whistled. _You're quite powerful! But it's all so confusing!_

_**I'll explain it later, kit. Finish him!**_

_Here goes!_

Orochimaru rose slowly, too tired to keep up with the girl's lightning assaults.

"I refuse die by the hands of a stupid, cocky bitch!" He threw a wave of chakra at her blasting her back. She landed on her feet and glared.

"I am the apprentice of the legendary Tsunade-him!" she retorted defiantly. _Well, not yet..._she admitted. _But you would think he'd recognize our similar fighting styles!_

"I see...I didn't hear that she took on a student." Orochimaru's serpentine eyes narrowed in appraisal. "It's no matter...for Tsunade was a weak, pathetic little girl!"

Something in Sakura snapped at that moment, but she was frozen in surprise. For he...

Drew a katana out of his throat. She stared in disgust as the sword surfaced in the most disgusting way.

_**Kit! That katana...**_

The sannin lovingly drew the sword against his tongue. "The Kusanagi of the storm god Susanoo, bestowed unto the Sage of Six Paths...it's an honor to die by it."

_**That is the real Kusanagi! **_Sakura was frightened to hear apprehension in the Nekomata's voice. _**A thousand replicas were made, but none held a shred of it's true power!**_

Suddenly, Sakura too recognized the blade. Hadn't Sasuke wielded it? Retrieved from the unknown years between working for the Akatsuki and returning to Konoha... Hadn't he summoned the terrible apparition of a god from drawing it?

_**Kit, we must recover that sword from his corruption. It is not his to wield!**_

_All right! _Sakura set her jaw in determination, and lunged at the sannin._**  
**_

He anticipated her, grabbing Sakura's incoming fist with a strength he didn't have before. She shrieked in surprise, as he stabbed her through with the Kusanagi and carelessly tossed her to the forest floor sixty feet down.

Sakura, stunned, fell with one hand weakly pressing against her bleeding stomach, but to no avail. _I'm paralyzed, _she thought numbly.

_**Pull yourself together!**_

_Yuugao...san..._Sakura's conscious was flickering as she desperately braced herself against the trees and boughs she was tearing through.**  
** The descent was painful; surely death would follow if she continued to be paralyzed.

_**Hold on!**_

A torrent of wind circling under her slowed her and cushioned her fall. Sakura managed to land lightly on her feet, though she immediately collapsed to her knees. Her eyes and delirious mind registered the sannin dropping easily to the forest floor. He began walking towards her, katana raised.

_I...Yuugao-san...I'm sorry...I can't..._

Sakura closed her eyes and felt her throat being gripped tightly. Through the dark, she was aware of being lifted up off the grass by her neck.

_Sleep, kit._

Her conscious was rapidly leaving her, but a powerful force took it's place.

The last thing she saw was a look of horror on her enemy's face, but soon, her vision faded to black.

* * *

**_Wake up, child._**

Light. It was everywhere, piercing and hurting her sensitive and sore body.

Finally, it centered on her eyelids and her body suddenly felt cool. Tentatively, Sakura opened her eyes and saw the sunlight playing over burnt foliage. Slowly, she sat up, aided by unknown hands, and witnessed numerous wrecked trees and overturned rock and dirt. Sakura winced and she turned her head to look at her helper.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked softly, looking as if she would break.

The kunoichi swallowed, feeling her thick tongue and blazing throat. "Naruto-kun-" she managed to choke out. He fumbled with a skin of water and she took it gratefully with shaking hands. She managed to squeeze the whole half-gallon down her easily-accepting passage and immediately felt better.

"Thanks," Sakura said, clasping Naruto's hands. "Where's –"

"What happened?" A voice smoothly interrupted.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura leapt up, staggered by a radiating pain coming from all limbs, and noticed bandages around her hands and sandal-less feet.

Her eyes instantly landed on his neck and almost cried with relief to see no curse mark there.

"I'm glad you two are all right," she said softly, looking at both boys.

"Nah," Naruto brushed off. "We were fine. We all got knocked out, I think. But…" he rubbed the back of his head and stared dubiously at their battle-torn surroundings. "I can't seem to remember anything up to the snake." He brightened and stared his cerulean eyes at Sakura. "Who was that creep, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura and Sasuke sat down by Naruto. She shivered, thinking of Orochimaru, and how she almost died. She did wonder, though, _What _did _happen?_

A blur of feedback images raced through her mind. Oh. _Oh._

_

* * *

_

_Sakura forced the snake sannin away from her with a force of jade fire; a shield surrounded her. Except, it wasn't her. She was once more having an out-of-body experience, watching as Yuugao completely took over her body. The jinchuuriki's jade eyes were afire with specks with gold and the pupils dilated._

"_No…" Orochimaru stumbled back, as the jinchuuriki approached.  
_

_In a series of quick movements, the sannin was disarmed, and the Kusanagi in Yuugao's capable hands. The memory of using it once, before, stole of her as the ancient blade transformed to accommodate her grip._

Then Sakura remembered a clear snapshot of the outcome.

_Yuugao's full possession of her body was released and she felt herself snapping back, her vision now through her eyes instead of omnipresent. _

_Sakura stared at her hands, catching the fingernails shrinking back and becoming the benign shells they always were…had been. The katana was on the ground, stained with blood. But as she watched, the blood sifted off and disintegrated, leaving the silver to gleam innocently in the sunlight.  
_

_Orochimaru and Kabuto, who must've intervened somewhere in the mêlée, were dead. She couldn't remember._

_But…there was so much... _

_So much blood._

_Why couldn't she remember what happened?_

_Yuugao? She inquired, suddenly feeling dizzy, scared, and alone. _

_A rushing sound consumed her mind and Sakura felt herself pitching forward to the ground…_

_

* * *

_

"Sakura?"

The kunoichi snapped out of her recollections and was grounded by the stare of Sasuke's inquiring eyes.

Still semi-dazed, she stared at her hands, which were abnormally clean compared to the other two's.

_You killed him, didn't you?_

Yuugao refused to respond.

Sakura suddenly felt enraged. _You killed him! You killed him with _MY_ hands!_

**_Could you have survived! You almost died there, kit. _**The Nekomata's wrath was overwhelming. Sakura felt a headache wash over her head, but she could hear a quiet concern threatening to spill over. **_What would've happened? Who could we have saved, if not ourselves? No one. Not your two friends over there, nor my brothers. Don't be foolish, kit. If we are determined to stick to our mission, we must kill. There's no avoiding it. Don't waste my time, kit. _**The last sentence ended quietly, with an almost-sadness in it.

_**I may have animal-instincts, but I'm not cold-blooded, Sakura. I had to kill him because he threatened the lives of the people here, and he drastically changed your 'other' life. Just be thankful that child doesn't have the Cursed Seal. And now that the sannin is dead, that child will have to seek safer ways to gain power.**_

_That's true. I – I'm sorry for being stupid and unreasonable, Yuugao-san._

**_My apologies as well, child._**

Sakura wearily rubbed her blistering arms and met Sasuke's stare.

"I don't know what happened either, Sasuke-kun." She avoided his pressing gaze and smiled tiredly at Naruto. But Sasuke wouldn't let her go that easily.

"When we came to, you were lying on the ground with this," he lifted up Orochimaru's Heaven Scroll, "and two mutilated bodies over there." Sakura followed his pointing finger and swallowed the bile that uncontrollably rose up. Orochimaru and Kabuto were unidentifiable in the gore. She quickly looked away.

"Come on, Sasuke-teme!" Naruto said angrily. "Stop pushing her. Sakura-chan couldn't have killed them!"

Sasuke settled back on his heels, his face unreadable. After an uncomfortable silence, Sasuke looked away from her. "I'm sorry," he apologized awkwardly. "Of course you haven't. But sometimes I wonder…" his gaze was piercing again.

"You're very strong, Sakura."

The kunoichi felt chilled. At any other circumstance, she would've been overwhelmed with happiness at the recognition, but now, she was just wary of Sasuke's suspicion. She rubbed restlessly on her burnt arms. With Sasuke so attentive, she would have to heal them later, with what little chakra she had left. She gave a last look around the area.

_Where's the Kusanagi?_

**_I withdrew it from this dimension for safe-keeping. It will appear in your hand should you need it; as you are recognized as it's new master...for now. I warn you - the gods and their gifts are very fickle._**

Sakura shakily got to her feet and retrieved her backpack among the team's messy survival pile. "Let's get moving."

Sasuke wordlessly tucked the scroll into his pack and strolled behind Sakura, Naruto's pent up excitement bursting forth as he rushed to walk beside her.

"That was a good sleep!" he was saying, alternately rushing to and fro at Sakura's side. "And we got a scroll, for free! Let's go to the tower!"

Sakura listened with quiet content, but inside, she was bursting with relief.

No Orochimaru…no Cursed Seal… Sasuke has to stay, please! Even if it might hurt me in the long run, I'll do anything to prevent Naruto and I from feeling the loneliness and despair for three whole years in training. Heck, I'd even train Sasuke myself if he's so desperate. She timidly glanced at the boy behind her and gave a small smile, unable to put a clamp on her sense of security and peace.

Sakura gazed up at the sky and the tower peak jutting ahead and used it as an excuse to beam happily as she stealthily channeled healing chakra to her various wounds.

To the hopeful future, thankfully without an immediate betrayal…Sasuke…thank you.

* * *

"Wahooo!~" the hyper blond crowed as they reached the tower front. "We made it!"

Sasuke's face was sour. "Dobe. It's your entire fault we took so late!"

Naruto swiveled around and gave Sasuke a thumbs-up with a silly wink. "But we're the first ones here."

Sakura sighed and pushed ahead the quarreling two and stepped up to the door. "You two…" they didn't hear.

"Still, all the trouble you caused…"

"Teme!"

"Usuratonkachi."

"Take that back, rooster head!"

"Immature dead-last."

"Quiet!"

The two settled as the team pushed through the door.

"No one's here!" Naruto looked around.

"Look," Sasuke pointed at the hall's only distinguishing factor, a framed sign. "Without…Heaven…" Naruto read aloud. "What the hell does that mean?"

"This is probably about the scrolls," Sakura explained. Naruto took out his Earth scroll and Sasuke did likewise with his Heaven.

"Alright…let's open them up!" Naruto yelled impatiently. The tension was echoed by the sounds of two scroll ties being pulled away and the paper unraveled.

"A summoning! Let go, Naruto!" Sasuke immediately dropped his as the hall filled with roiling smoke.

The fog cleared and out stepped a smiling Iruka.

"Hey! Long time no see. The second test…all three of you passed; congratulations! I'd like to –" their old sensei was interrupted by a big tackle from his favorite student, who elatedly hugged his ramen patron. Iruka explained the meaning of the scrolls and the framed sign.

"If you lack Heaven, seek wisdom, be prepared. In this case, Naruto's weakness. If you lack Earth, run in the fields, and seek advantages – Sakura's work on stamina in here."

You're wrong, Sakura realized. A long time ago – actually, in this very moment with a different Sakura, you were right. But I've changed – mentally, physically, but also in emotional maturity as well. I've learned how to hope. Naruto taught me that. She bowed her head to hide her private smile of acknowledgement, a little pride she allowed herself. I can't get too cocky though. I tend to lose rationale in uncontrollable situations.

_**That's true,**_ the Nekomata chuckled. _**What was that drama earlier?**_

For the moment, Sakura wondered why in the world a demon lord had been given a sense of humor.

"And if you have both Heaven and Earth," Iruka continued obliviously, "You will succeed, even in the most dangerous of situations." He folded his arms and stared with expectant pride at his former students. "I want you to challenge this next round with this chuunin motto in your minds. That is all I have to pass on to you!"

"Roger!" Naruto and Sakura cheered, a grunt from Sasuke in a noncommittal offer.

* * *

"My curse…" Anko panted, the pain suddenly withdrawing from her neck. "What in the world's happening? Has the bastard died already?"

The Third Hokage observed Anko in concern. "Does it still hurt?"

"No…Thank you, it's much better now," she said truthfully. "But it's odd, sensei…it pulsed with ache in the written exam room, and it hurt so much I thought I would die at the start of the exams. I felt…" she shuddered in fear and hatred, "A strong surge of his power too. But what…" the bewildered examiner trailed off. "There was another chakra fighting him – two. I couldn't judge its size, I was too delirious. Then you arrived and the pain has just faded."

"I see…" the Third rubbed his chin in thought. What could this mean? Is my student gone? Or in hiding? A trap, maybe…

"If too many chuunin-elects have passed this round, then there will be preliminary matches before the finals. After the winners have been determined to move on, we will clear the Forest and set a search party to look for his traces, chakra and/or body. If just enough genin have passed, there will be no need for preliminaries. The search will start right away, then."

Anko stood and passed her teacher to bend over a mirror on the opposite wall. She gingerly folded her jacket flap to the side and gasped at what she saw on her neck…nothing.

"It is gone!" She stumbled back and barely missed the couch. She sank into it with an expression of disbelief and elation. "It really is gone! I don't believe it." The examiner suddenly doubled over on the couch and began crying."I don't believe it…he's really gone!" she gasped in sheer euphoria.

"He hasn't gotten what he wanted, in the end," the Third crossed over to the window and gazed out. "That Uchiha, whose bloodline is so desirable for a body to inhabit."

Anko wiped away her tears and composed herself, but she couldn't keep out the wonder and relief from her voice.

"I just wonder who killed him."

"In good time, Anko." He was still watching the sky through the window. "I believe it's the dawn of the final day. Let us go greet the genins."

* * *

"First off, the second test!" the Hokage's chakra-amplified voice rang authoritatively through the hall, undeterred by age. "Congratulations on passing!"

A resounding cheer passed through the hall as exhausted genins clapped their teammates on their backs in shared respite, petty grudges and in-team quarrels forgotten in the moment.

Among 78 participants, 20 got this far…Anko watched the crowd below her balcony. I guess we will have preliminaries, after all.

Sakura watched the Hokage seats with an impassive face; one was empty and she knew exactly why. She also noticed that the Third was disturbed as well; occasionally checking the time and glancing at the unoccupied chair of Kazekage and Otokage among the ones filled by others.

_**Let it go, kit. They'll find that the hokage was Konoha's very own traitor, anyways. The government will take care of its own.**_

Kakashi finally breached the crowd and spotted his team. He gave a hasty, "Well done, all of you," as the crowd settled into silence again in wait for the Hokage's next announcement.

"The reason for this allianced exam is to replace war and bring peace to the shinobi nations. This is a test to see which shinobi has what it takes to become a chuunin. But on the other hand, each country, in part in our Alliance, now has the obligation to give up its chuunin to help another country's chuunin. Once, they only fought in war and lost their lives to protect their country's prestige."

"But!" he continued, warming to his speech. "Not it's different. Together, allied nations will nominate chuunins who will fight together! We shinobi will help each other. We will not only fight for our honor and selves, but for our comrades." His words had a solemn effect on the chuunin, whose slight chatter ceased as they began listening. However, Sakura recognized with a bit of nostalgias, that some others weren't listening, like the arrogant Neji and Sabaku no Gaara.

They've changed a lot, Sakura acknowledged. Naruto changed them.

"Allow the referee, Gekko Hayate, to explain the exam."

After a slight coughing fit, the referee relaxed his bow to the Hokage and clarified the details.

"This is a preliminary for the third test, to reduce the number of genins for the chuunin final. As our Hokage indicated earlier, there will be important guests from all of the Allied Countries. This exam will showcase their genin, and ours. The picking will commence as follows: one on one fighting, as if in a real life confrontation."

A murmur of apprehension raced among the rookies clustered in the middle of the hall. From the corner of her eyes, Sakura could see Naruto and Sasuke shiver with anticipation.

"As we have exactly 20 genin here, there will be 10 "duals," except the death of your opponent is not required. Surrender, unconsciousness, and/or the inability to stand are the termination signals for the fight." Many sighs resounded in release from held breaths.

"This electric scoreboard will generate random matches. First we will run through all the options, and then the first fight will commence. Let us begin."

The board flickered with static, and then focused on a black screen with revolving names, like a lottery machine.

Aburame Shino vs. Temari

"Feh, this creep is going down," Sakura heard the arrogant girl proclaim. She watched apprehensively as Shino merely straightened his glasses.

Yamanaka Ino vs. Kin Tsuchi

Ino! Sakura panicked inside. Kin's pretty strong for a genin. Ino flipped her long hair in a show of confidence, but Sakura knew exactly what was going on her head. Ino's scared…I wish I could be there to hug her.

Kin's dark eyes scanned the opponent for her enemy and smiled maliciously. She quietly fingered her senbons and slipped her trademark bells over each.

Tenten vs. Inuzuka Kiba

"Uh oh…" Kiba muttered. "I'm not that fine with hurting a girl."

Tenten heard and flippantly remarked, "I'm not going easy on you, 'just 'cause you're a boy."

He groaned.

Zaku Abumi vs. Hyuuga Neji

Crap, the white-eyed freak! Zaku stealthily checked the information cards he gathered for Kabuto. Where is that b- and Orochimaru, anyways? They better get here quick…

Neji stiffly accepted Gai-sensei's enthusiastic well-wishes and watched his enemy.

Tsurugi Misumi vs. Hyuuga Hinata

"Good luck!" Sakura whispered to the heiress who fidgeted nervously. At least it isn't Neji.

Yoroi Akado vs. Kankuro

Both parties glared at each other, but Kankuro made a rude gesture that left Akado spluttering in rage.

Rock Lee vs. Dosu Kinuta

"Yosh!" came the exultant cry.

Sakura looked down at the floor to hide her slightly wet eyes. Good God. Lee won't be hurt this time…

Nara Shikamaru vs. Akimichi Chouji

The Konoha teams knew the notorious pair of friends, and a few genin even gasped, including Sakura. The two teammates looked at each other in astonishment. Asuma Sarutobi gripped their shoulders before anyone could react and bent over to engage them in hushed conversation.

Uchiha Sasuke vs. Uzumaki Naruto

Sakura's heart thudded with dread. No…! Of all the luck, not the two of them! Let it be a mistake…please let it…

The screen was resolute in its black and white.

Kakashi reassuringly but grimly clamped his hands on the boys' shoulders. "Do what you must." He murmured softly. Sakura nearly missed his last words, "…If you can't bring yourself to harm a friend, then call on a draw."

Sasuke rudely shook off the hand, but his face was troubled. I…can't let anyone get in the way, even Naruto. I need this, I need power…

Naruto stood, scratching his head and looking extremely worried and unusually quiet.

The final words rolled to a stop on the screen.

Haruno Sakura vs. Gaara

Sakura felt numb as she lifted her eyes to the balcony, to see the jinchuuriki, the tortured human demon unable to live and love; her grandfather's very own test subject...

Eyes the color of her own met hers.

Fate is cruel.

* * *

_To be continued…_

Thank you everyone! Please look forward to the next chapter and tell me what you think!


	12. Revelations

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, its storyline, or characters. However, this fanfiction is based on Naruto, and is my creation. THE GENERAL PLOTLINE WAS INSPIRED BY **-brezoflower- **'s discontinued story, If I Knew Then What I Know Now!**

* * *

**C O L L A T E R A L - N A S C E N C E**

_**Second Beginnings**_

_**Chapter Twelve: Revelations**_

* * *

Sakura couldn't stand looking into those stoic eyes without being overwhelmed with guilt. _Ah, grandfather, what should I do?_

"Naaaaniiii?" Naruto's already panicked face blanched into horror. "That guy's scary…Sakura-chan…!"

The kunoichi took her eyes off Sabaku no Gaara with a feeling of relief mixed with dreading anticipation. She reassuringly squeezed Naruto's hand. "I'll be okay, Naruto." She glanced at Sasuke, but his impassive face offered nothing. Sakura was barely hurt by his coldness and gave a secret smile to herself.

'_Is it true you're fighting Ajito for the ANBU exams?'_

'_Eh…he's alright, Sasuke-kun. I can take him on!'_

_The worried face leaned into her hair and breathed deeply. 'Be careful. I don't want you to get hurt.'_

_She felt so safe in those arms…_

Yuugao shook her out of her sentimentality. _**Kit, even if this Sabaku no Gaara's physique is nowhere near your own, a jinchuuriki is still a dynamic threat, even a 'rookie' one. Technically, you're a newborn and rookie jinchuuriki yourself.**_

Sakura took in a shaky breath. _I know. All of your chakra is so…overpowering. Even with my acute chakra control, I can barely suppress the flow._

_**We can get some practice in later.**_

_If we get out of this._

_**We will, kit.**_

Sakura's tenseness relaxed a little as she leaned on the metal railing to look below. Already, Aburame Shino and Temari were at the floor.

There was a feral look in Temari's eyes as she studied her opponent. _I don't know what will come of this match! Both are my friends…well, not yet, as neither of them knows me well…Haha – that's awkward…_

"Begin."

The examiner barely ended the last syllable of entry before Temari reflexively drew her fan and swung it. A torrent of wind thrusted Shino backwards. The insect-nin dived to avoid a second blast and let loose thousands of aerial bugs.

Sakura watched with anxiety until she felt a tickling sensation brush her ankles. She shuddered instinctively and swatted at what she thought was a spider, and felt the back of her hand touch something grainy. _What –_

Sand.

She was suddenly aware of a thin, almost invisible tendril of the almost translucent beads of glass and salt reach her neck and squeeze experimentally.

Sakura's eyes shot up and narrowed as she met Sabaku no Gaara's malevolent expression.

_He's trying to sabotage the battle already…What a pompous idiot, before-Naruto-encounter! _Relax…Sakura laughed to herself quietly and calmly brushed off the sand noose with chakra-laced fingers. The little beads slid down her shirt immediately and pinged off the floor, unnoticeable and inconspicuous to the viewers of the suspenseful battle below. She sneaked a quick look at the Sand shinobi, whose pointed eyes widened a little in surprise.

_Espionage is a ninja's imperative, boy, _Sakura thought dryly to herself.

"A waste of my time!" Gaara muttered across the room. He slowly squeezed his fist and stared at the weak little girl standing at the opposite balcony. He expected the sand to enclose around her wrists and ankles and at least cut and scare her up a little, but instead, the drops hovered and circled around the air around her instead.

Kankuro immediately saw his brother's fists shaking and hesitantly took his eyes off his sister's battle.

"Gaa…ra?"

"Shut up!" the boy exploded. He needed to see blood, revel in its pour, smell its iron tang. Offer it to Mother… "Not worthy, not worthy, pathetic girl…" he muttered madly.

_He's getting psychotic…_Kankuro tensed up in fearful apprehension. If Gaara's bloodlust didn't release soon, he or Temari would get hurt...he glanced down at Temari, who dealt the finishing blow and blew away her opponent. She ignored the examiner's proclamation and stalked up the stairs. Kankuro gave her a meaningful glance and nodded his head at their brother. Her arrogant smirk smoothed out into uneasiness.

"Shit," she muttered a curse. "He's the last battle too. What do we do, Kankuro?"

"I don't know…"

"Yamanaka Ino versus Kin Tsuchi."

Sakura's closed eyes shot open, the last replays of the painful blows dealt to Shino flying away. Abandoning any notion of embarrassment, she leaned over the cold metal and shouted, "Ino-pig! Do your best!"

The blonde glanced up with an annoyed expression and stuck up her tongue. "Obviously!" When she turned her back, she smiled and Sakura knew it.

"Begin."

Ino rushed at Kin and whipped out kunai, deflecting some of the bell-garnished senbon and dodging others.

"I saw your tricks in the forest!" Yamanaka grinned. _Watch this, guys!_

To Sakura's relief, the battle was short-lived and immensely in Ino's favor. The Sound kunoichi's surprised face was quickly replaced by a vacant placidness and then to a determined expression.

"I concede," Kin said loudly. Ino was kneeling across from her with her eyes open, a deceiving semblance of consciousness.

The examiner scratched his head as murmurs of confusion spread around the hall.

"Kin! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Zaku screamed.

"I concede," the repeat came staunchly.

"All…right, I guess. Yamanaka Ino, win!"

"Sorry, guys," Kin said, looking up at Zaku and Dosu – totally not sounding apologetic. Casually, almost nonchalantly, Tsuchi looked into her hand and rolled around a white pill that suddenly appeared in her palm. In front of everyone, she swallowed it with a careless gesture and began to fall…as Ino stood up.

"Yeessss!" A spark of bright awareness relit in the girl's eyes as she broke into dance without shame.

"No flash dancing or rap in the testing hall," Hayato intoned with a steady voice, but one could see the amusement in his eyes. "Medics, please evacuate Kin Tsuchi from the floor."

As the hooded members crowded around the unconscious kunoichi, Ino bounced up the steps and Sakura promptly rushed over to congratulate her.

"Wow! How did you do that?"

"I forced a tranquilizer into her hands and while she was like, 'Whaaah?', I took over her body using my family jutsu."

Sakura laughed with admiration. "Only you, Ino-pig. The devious epitome of the conniving kunoichi. Genius."

Yamanaka rolled her eyes. "Gotta get her pilled so she wouldn't make a fuss after I returned to my body, right? Gimme some more compliments."

"You're head's getting bigger."

"Shut up."

The two friends watched and cheered on Tenten on the next battle, and with great relief. Though Sakura mourned Kiba's and Akamaru's injuries, she couldn't help appreciating the beautiful art of her friend's weaponry. The next battle, however…

"Zaku Abumi versus Hyuuga Ne—"

"Fuck this! I'm not going to fight." Zaku screamed.

The examiner's and council member's eyes raised to the frantic genin at the balcony.

"I'm not going to slave for that creep anymore. I'll tell it! I swear I'll tell everyone if you don't come out right now!" the Sound shinobi threw down the information cards and stared wildly at the surrounding genin, to their whispering and dismay.

"What is this insolence?" the Third Hokage's voice rang out. "And where is your Kage?"

"The Sound Village? Heh. Ask Dosu about the _Sand _Kage!"

"Zaku!" his teammate sounded horrified. "What are you doing?"

"I'm saying," the boy's voice dripped with blatant vengeance for rewardless work. "That Orochimaru's plan to invade Konoha with the Fourth Kazekage is failing, as _Orochimaru's not here!_

"No!" Dosu turned to the Third Hokage, whose face was livid with shock and fury. "He doesn't know what he's saying!" he begged. "I don't know what…"

"Take the Sound nins out for questioning." The Hokage said sharply. Ibiki watched as his masked ANBU quickly captured and restrained the intruders. Ibiki bowed stiffly as the chained genin passed by. "I'm sorry this had to interrupt the exams," he apologized quietly.

A final outburst from Zaku sealed the blow – "And the funny thing is - Orochimaru _is _the Fourth Kazekage!"

Sakura's eyes flew towards Gaara, whose shock was staggering to see. His secondary reaction was to unleash a whip of sand that relentlessly gripped the Sound-nin's throat.

"Stop!" Ibiki ordered. But the sand still held on and the foolish shinobi continued madly, "-h killed him! He's _been _the Kazekage for months!"

Sakura turned her head away from the horrifying scene. _Yuugao…they'll find Orochimaru's body…and they'll start wondering who did it._

_**I know, kit. It'll be a lot harder from here on out to keep our secrets.**_

A sharp cry pierced the air and died down to a horrible rasping. "Stop…sto-"

The sand loosened and trailed back into Gaara's gourd. "Father…is dead." He said blankly.

"Good riddance," Temari said softly. "He was never kind to us." Her eyes misted over as she thought of the patriarchal figure who nurtured them with his fists, not his love…

"Father is dead," he repeated numbly. Kankuro just sighed and stared at the floor. "So what happens now?"

Ibiki cursed. "One less to interrogate, far less information." He gestured at the ANBU to take out Zaku's body. Dosu, Yoroi Akado, and Tsurugi Misumi were shepherded to separate corridors. The interrogator gave a final glance at the late Kazekage's son. "I suggest you have a meeting with the village hokages later," he murmured.

"Thank you, Morino-san," Konoha's head replied. He turned and gestured to the agitated genin. "The preliminaries will continue a week from today, with the same opponents. Adjustments will be made for those with now, no challenger."

"Ehhh." Naruto folded his arms behind his head and leaned back. "I have no idea what's happening, but a week's all good for me. I need sleep!"

Sakura laughed, disguising her nervousness and inner turmoil of worries and doubts. "I bet you're glad you got it over with, Ino-pig."

"You bet I am." Ino left to tease her teammates and indulge in some gossip about the very recent Sound scandal, as Kakashi sauntered over.

"Did you expect that scene?"

"No, but I did know the workings of the plan."

He raised his eyebrows. "You know, it would have done well to warn the Hokage and authorities."

Sakura's face burned with shame at her own foolishness. "Ahh…"

_Of course! Before this whole fiasco started, I could've at least slipped an anonymous note to the Hokage!_

"He wouldn't have believed me," she mumbled as an excuse.

"The presence of a – ah," Kakashi remembered his surroundings, "_your friend, _would've backed the credibility. Don't you think you could trust our dear Hokage with your secret?"

"I could," Sakura admitted. "I'm an idiot."

"Take it easy – you're – what, seventeen, eighteen? Still a teenager, there. Learn some adult judgment, let it go, and decide what to do next."

"You're right. I'll tell him soon...but…" her voice trailed off. _I am going crazy. This is déjà vu!_

"Out with it."

She dragged his shoulder down and tiptoed to reach his ear.

"_I killed Orochimaru."_

Both of his non-Sharingan eyes widened.

"_That, _I'll definitely have to tell the Hokage about, and now."

"You believe me?"

"Do I have a choice? Even if your chakra is concealed, I'm experienced enough to feel a switch from demon chakra to human chakra, as yours constantly is."

"It fluctuates?"

"When your mood is intense, like aggression, worry, or rage for example, your aura merges with Yuugao's."

"It's that noticeable, huh."

"Ah, student. You haven't realized that you wear your heart on your sleeve? Your face was changing constantly while you watched the preliminaries."

"Oops."

"At least I can teach you how to mask your emotions…not that that's always a good thing." Kakashi checked the activity below. "The jounins and I must meet with the village Hokages. Good luck on your match with Gaara next week!"

"Thanks…" Sakura watched his back disappear in the bustle of leaving genins and jounins.

_Yuugao…I'm afraid I'll have to tell another person about you…is that all right?_

_**If that's what you must do, then by all means.**_

_I'm sorry…you've spent so long making sure that your existence was forgotten, too!_

_**I trust your Hokage. He won't take advantage of my power, I believe.**_

_We can hope._

* * *

"_I just hope…"_

_A small girl with hair and eyes the color like liquid ebony sat at her window sill and stared out at the lively streets below. _

_A pretty picture she made, a not-yet-eight year old at the glass pane framed with a trestle of bright red flowers, a touch of a kind mother or a nanny. But she had neither of both._

"_Maybe father will come home today," she told the teddy bear in her arms. With ever-eager eyes, she returned to gazing out on the streets. Occasionally, she tired of the monotonous search and played with her toys, but in the end, she was always sitting at the sill._

"_Ah!" she exclaimed to herself. "There!" She dragged her chair to the middle of the room and sat impatiently, staring at the locked door. "Father's here," she told her bear with satisfaction. "You behave."_

_To her surmounting anticipation and joy, the lock clicked and the door opened. In stepped a handsome, middle-aged man with his daughter's exact features – except harsher and cold._

_He held his daughter's arms and kneeled. "Success, a success."_

"_What is it, father?"_

"_Ten villages, all mine. I am now hokage of eleven of the most prominent lands!"_

_Not understanding very well, she responded questioningly, "Is that good?"_

_For a moment, his eyes flashed crimson. "Is that good?" His hands held tighter to her arms._

_She tried not to cry out. "Of course it is!" She stammered out, answering her own question. "I'm glad for you, father."_

"_You know, I have a plan."_

"_Father?"_

"_Today I've picked ten shinobi, one from each of my new villages, ten with the greatest promise. But the first, I think, I'll give to you."_

"_Give?" The girl didn't understand. How could you give a person to another?_

"_She's special, I can tell." Her father was getting animated. "She's very foreign, even in her own village. They fear her, because she has a strange affinity."_

"_Affinity?"_

_He continued, ignoring her question._

"_I've learned some jutsu, daughter, in my time in Akagakure. But you can't tell anyone, okay?"_

_She nodded obediently._

"_If I gather a whole population – a village, for instance, and drain their chakra, a "demon" will be born out of their sacrifice."_

"_What's a sacrifice?"_

"_Their deaths will do me good, daughter. For me. That chakra will manifest and take a life of its own. For now, I'm trying to figure out how to implant all the village's chakra into that girl."_

"_Death." She restrained from asking another question, for fear of earning his impatience and a scolding._

"_If only you had the Sharingan." He raised his fingertips to her forehead and she closed her eyes obediently, letting him stroke her eyelids._

"_I wonder if it's a curse," he suddenly spat out. "For taking my brother's eyes, that you haven't inherited my power, my only child…"_

_Her eyes shot open as his hand left.. Again. Her heart sunk. Again. He'd say this over and over, and it always took some part of her away and froze it. It meant she was a disappointment, a bad girl…_

"_But once I sacrifice her, give her to you, you will become useful to me."_

_He made her look him in the eyes._

"_Such a pretty girl, like your mother…"_

_She smiled happily, knowing what was coming next. When he said her name. Not' daughter', not' girl', not her mother's name…_

"…_Yuugao."_

* * *

Sakura sat up in bed and found herself crying. "What…?" She remembered having a dream and…she grasped at the memory and found herself already forgetting it.

_**What's wrong? **_The Nekomata's voice sounded sleepily.

_Just a dream, _Sakura said. Then she was suspicious. _Demons need sleep? Why do you sound lethargic?_

_**While you sleep, I get to rest you know, **_her voice sounded sulky. _**I'm stopping one time and playing another until they reach the same point. That's hard work. **_

_Oops. Sorry._

_**Get to training, kit. Morning's over.**_

"Aghhh," Sakura complained aloud as she rolled out of bed, feeling sore. "Six more days till my preliminary with Gaara. But…can't I rest a little more? I just returned from the Forest of Death…"

_**Get to it.**_

"Slave driver!" she pouted and punched the wall lightly. "Aw man," she exclaimed at the plaster powdered her knuckles and slivers dusted the floor from the small crater she made.

Sakura stomped down the stairs.

"Morning, grandfather!" she hugged the elderly man at the table with the newspaper.

"Your parents are at the library." He gestured at the table. "Have some onigiri."

"I have to train," she clapped her hands apologetically. "I'll wrap them up and go. See you later, grandfather."

The kunoichi walked into the bright Konoha morning and shielded her eyes, staring at Konoha's headquarters.

"First…"

* * *

The attendee yelped. "You can't go up there! Hokage-sama is having a meeting with the other village heads in thirty minutes!"

"Oh, yes I can," Sakura muttered. With a chakra-charged finger, she tapped the assistant on his shoulder and he rolled comically down the stairs. She watched with quite a bit of amusement and then gazed up, heaving a breath.

Finally, she reached the doors and raised her knuckles to knock, when it opened.

"I watched you," the Hokage said gruffly, gesturing at the chakra orb on his table. "What do you want? Be quick about it."

Sakura mustered all her courage. _Time to spill them beans again, girl._

"Let me start with this…"

* * *

_To be continued._

_**Thank you for reading! **_

_**More of Yuugao's past will be revealed, but I hope it won't deter you from the storyline! Here's some questions to have you all despair about :) Is the Yuugao in Sakura's dream, the same demon lord she contracted with? Why is Sakura having the dreams?**_

_** And no, I won't answer them, even if you review super-nicely. Or maybe I will –suggestive wink- Just kidding!**_


	13. Memories in Flame

**COLLATERAL NASCENCE ART: OUR WEBPAGE ON DEVIANTART:** **http:/**** frutti-tutti. deviantart**** . com/** Remove spaces. **We will be posting up artwork for collateral nascence, such as character concepts. They are not our characters, and Naruto is no one's property but Kishimoto's. It is highly recommended that you see how we see the characters in this particular fanfiction. Please visit the above link!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, its storyline, or characters. However, this fanfiction is based on Naruto, and is my creation. THE GENERAL PLOTLINE WAS INSPIRED BY **-brezoflower- **'s discontinued story, If I Knew Then What I Know Now!**

* * *

**C O L L A T E R A L - N A S C E N C E**

_**Second Beginnings**_

_**Chapter Thirteen: Memories in Flame**_

* * *

"And you have kept this a secret, all this time, when Konoha lies in a crucial need of information?"

Sakura bowed her head in heartfelt contrition, biting her lip and wondering at how the Hokage could keep his calm. The thought led to a next, one that almost made her let go of a nervous giggle. If Tsunade was in this situation, the famous desk would be out of the window already. Instead, out came her apology.

"I really don't know what to say, Hokage-sama. I _am _sorry for my reckless actions. However…why do you believe…" she trailed off, hating herself for double-thinking this whole ordeal, and at the same time not trusting the obviously mature and far-more-intelligent Hokage with the incredibility of Yuugao, time-travel – the whole burden of chaos! Daring, almost too hopeful to believe in his patience, Sakura looked up and was relieved to see no sign of anger. Just a meditative and slightly melancholic expression rested on that – she was sad to realize – startlingly tired and old face.

After taking a few coaxing breathes from his faithful pipe, the Hokage looked down at the adolescent girl sitting on the old couch a little ways from him.

_This is…it almost seems like history is repeating itself all over again. But what could this mean? Hashirama, you've fought so hard against the spawn of demons created in your time…but we may need all the jinchuuriki's help to protect the village you liberated from Madara!_

"There was actually once a time," he said slowly, "when a demon, of her own free will, attempted to aid Konoha in its darkest hours. Do you know who that may be?"

She shook her head, but a creeping thought entered her mind anyways. _Wait…_

"She was the very first Nekomata, and the first of ten other demons to be forcefully created," he continued. He wondered...if it was _her, _how much could he reveal - about the Sage of Six Paths, and the Ten-Tailed Beast that was his bijuu at the beginning of the shinobi world.

"And if I am right, she is lingering in another time, on the sacred mountain Konoha protected for her."

_It can't be! Yuugao-san…was it…_

_**Hush, kit. Let me reveal myself.**_

_Wait – wha – !_

Before Sakura could gather what had happened in that short exchange, a faint glow emanated from all of her showing skin, in a misty, evanescent way. Rapidly, the flow of light focused above her heart and shot into the middle of the room. As the glow left her, Sakura felt utterly drained – physically and mentally. An aura of overpowering, mind-throbbing chakra filled the room – and vanished with the light suddenly, as a figure materialized where the light and focal-point of chakra was.

The two shinobi, now joined by an apparent third, cautiously lowered their raised arms from their faces. Hiruzen Sarutobi gave a startled cry, followed by an echo from Sakura.

"It's you!" Sakura cried – then did a doubletake. Who was this person? Why was she so familiar? Her image was like a faded photograph that Sakura tried to recall, but couldn't. She looked to the Hokage for answers, but Sarutobi merely looked to the newcomer in silence with a sort of mourning solemnity. To her shock, she saw a quick tear streak down and disappear into the folds of his aged face.

The newcomer was a young girl, barely the age of an average genin. Her hair, which was obsidian in hue like her eyes, was cut in a style almost exactly like Sakura's. There was a regal air around her, partly attributed to the ornate silver and white kimono she donned. But what Sakura struck most, was the almost frightening look of maturity and coldness her face showed beyond her age. But all that melted away when she looked at Konoha's Hokage and smiled, positively _beamed. _

"Hiruzen!"

Sakura still looked on in amazement as the girl threw herself into the arms of a man that could be very well her grandfather – and yet she addressed him on a first name basis!

Sarutobi let go of the girl gently and kneeled so that they were eye-to-eye.

"After all this time…? To take on that body…"

A shadow passed over the girl's eyes. "Yes. I...I still remember my debt to her."

"What do you call yourself?"

"Yuugao. I have long since forgotten my own name."

"…I see."

The girl once more looked older as a mournful expression captured her eyes. "You've grown so much, Hiruzen."

The Hokage sighed. "I know…I know. When I first met you, you were indeed in this body, at this same age."

The child called Yuugao laughed delightedly. "You still remember! I fished you out of the river after you fell in chasing your ball."

Sakura timidly raised a hand. "Can someone explain all this to me?"

To her surmounting confusion, both of them laughed, and things seemed to return to a more comfortable level of normalcy.

The dark eyes gazed up at Sakura and the jinchuuriki immediately realized what she saw in them.

The radiant smile joined the mirth in the feline eyes as the girl's mouth opened – but instead of the high, clear girl's voice came the purr of the Nekomata's, except oddly compact and focused, instead of echoing and distant.

**It's me, kit.**

Sakura fell back onto the couch and shook her head once or twice. "Oh, man. How is this happening? Is this physical manifestation why I feel so," she lifted her arms weakly, "floppy?"

The amused Nekomata's smile grew wider. **I can imagine how you must feel. This is a body constructed from chakra and memories, much like a shadow clone.  
**

"Really now," was all the jinchuuriki could muster.

Yuugao's ageless human body turned back to the Hokage, speaking once more in her silvery girl's voice. "But…in the end, why did you abandon me, Hiruzen?"

The Hokage deferred his head apologetically. "To all of Sakura's accounts, I die by Orochimaru's hands. Currently, this threat has been removed, but in the alternate time, I did die – and without passing on the confidential knowledge of your existence to the next Hokage. With the Sound invasions following my death, the territory of Tenmaru Yama _(Sacred Ring; Mountain) _and surrounding was captured. It is good that the mountain has enough natural chakras to mist your presence."

"And yet, six years later, someone had found me." Sakura watched worriedly as the demon-child's hands shook, a quick and barely noticeable movement.

"It was a total disaster," Sakura explained quietly. "We heard that the Akatsuki were on dead territory, land that no one owned, taking shelter and recruiting rogue shinobi into their corps. We were on a campaign then – Danzo's orders, as he was acting Hokage – to eliminate them. The ANBU generation of that time – almost everyone in my Academy class who graduated together – we departed for that mountain. Danzo, who was eager to search for an elusive man named "Tobi," was killed by his very prey."

"Tobi?" The Hokage frowned and lifted his pipe to his mouth. "Describe him for me."

"Along with the Akatsuki cloak, he wore an orange mask with a single opening over the right eye. It was the radial point from which chakra lines began, from hole to the edge of the mask. He had dark hair, but other than that, his appearance was very ambiguous. No one could exactly tell what the color of his eyes were."

"A masked man?" Sarutobi recalled the night of Uzumaki Naruto's birth...the chaos and confusion surround the Kyuubi's forced extraction from Kushina's body, and her death collective with Namikaze Minato...the Fourth Hokage...the masked man who had manipulated it all for his own ends..._It can't be...  
_

The Third Hokage quickly composed himself. "So he killed my ROOT police-force commander. I've never trusted Danzo, but he's a worthy shinobi. This Tobi is a threat to Konoha…Sakura, please continue."

"Witnessing Danzo's death was a shock. In a panic, our ANBU team dispersed as the Akatsuki charged. I defeated some of their newest recruits and looked for the others and…" Sakura's voice broke as she roughly swept her arm over her eyes. "T-There were numerous casualties. Naruto had disappeared and Sasuke's eyes were…"

Sarutobi and Yuugao waited gravely in silent patience until the inconsolable kunoichi was able to continue.

"I h-healed those were still alive, but we – we were attacked relentlessly. As a medic, I knew I had no choice; I had to stay away from battle and heal those I could. I evaded every member I could sense and healed when I could, stopping and getting up to run again. I was cornered at the peak of the mountain by Uchiha Itachi. At the last minute, he decided to spare my life. To this day, I still don't know why, but I jumped off the cliff after he left." Sakura gave a wobbly laugh through her tears. "Foolish, I know. But that's how I met Yuugao…and here we are."

The silence took on a better atmosphere of hope, until Sarutobi spoke, startling them out of the stillness.

"Uchiha Itachi? Wasn't…he dead, before any of this occurred?"

Sakura gasped. It was true! How could Itachi appear, when Sasuke had fulfilled his revenge nearly three years before? She thought again…but did she really know?

_Sasuke heaved a sigh. "It's all my fault... All these lives lost…What can I do to be redeemed?... … … If Konoha calls for my execution, I'll accept it…"_

_Sakura had to ask, "What about your revenge?" _

_Sasuke didn't answer. She looked up from her healing to see his exhausted face smoothed away with oblivion. _

And afterwards, even while Sakura and Sasuke mended each other's souls as Konoha was resurrected, she patiently waited for the time when Sasuke would be ready to talk of his past openly. And they never did…

_I'm sorry, _Sakura thought, directed to Sasuke. _I waited, but I never knew how little _time _we had._

"I thought he was dead too…" Sakura said. Then another possibility occurred to her. "But that might not have been him!"

"What?"

"She's right, Hiruzen. I felt a presence that was too strong to be matched with the one I saw through Sakura's memories. That Uchiha Itachi was a fake. In fact, I know the very person that chakra belonged to. My captor, the man who encased me into a human body."

"Uchiha Madara."

Sakura felt chilled, rubbing her arms nervously. She remembered discussing with Yuugao of the possibility of Madara's hand in all this, but how did this all connect?

"Reports said that Tobi could be Madara."

"That could just have been Tobi-Madara, shadow-transformed as Itachi."

"Then…why did he spare my life?"

That question beckoned the quiet, but the voices made no answers.

* * *

_A chuunin sat at a riverbank, gently removing her sandals. As her small bare feet touched the banks, the brush coiled and shrank away, leaving an odd patch of dead, sparse, and yellow grass._

_She removed her gloves, and cupped some clear river water into her hands. In seconds, the shimmering liquid evaporated._

_Her tears of shame went unnoticed by the cheerful day as she reluctantly donned her stifling shoes and gloves. Her face turned eastward, to her village, and her eyes saw the fire._

_Her village was burning._

_Her mouth opened in a soundless shriek, her feet took her flying to her home._

_There were villagers streaming all over the place, fleeing their houses and dragging young ones and belongings away. And in the middle, a single man stood, facing the fire._

_The girl took a moment to stop at his side and was about to warn him from the flames, but her mind stopped. He wasn't a villager._

_His cold, handsome face stared down at hers. Her eyes widened - _his _were beautiful, splashes of ruby engraved with a mesmerizing, spiral of ebony.__  
_

'_You're the white-haired one the elders told me about. This strange affinity…show me it. Stop time, if you want to save your village.'_

_The girl's heart filled with hope for a second. For once, this person, like so many others, had not shunned her. In fact, he _asked _her to demonstrate the ability she was born with!_

_She took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut. Pain shot through her body, but she let it build until she could bear it no more. She let go of her breath and opened her eyes, the throbbing immediately dispersing. She looked to her companion, and saw him smiling. She looked to the world, and saw it still._

'_Magnificent.'_

_She glowed with unidentifiable warmth, but couldn't help asking, 'Will you help me? Save them, I mean. The fire's stopped, but we can put it out now and pull out the ones still in their homes.'_

'_But why would you want to help your enemies? They've neglected you and hated you for all your life. Surely, you would be happier elsewhere.'_

_His words stole her breath away. How did he know this?_

_He took her silence and continued. 'My village… surely you have heard of the eminent Konoha? A newborn village, but already, its fame has spread as a shinobi power. It treasures all with powers and affinities like yours. You would grow up loved. Come with me, after dealing with any business here.'_

_It was so tempting. But she was afraid, for some reason. She stared at the frozen flames ahead of them. He watched her golden eyes flicker with uncertainty, and smirked. She would make a wonderful gift for his daughter...  
_

'_Look into my eyes and tell me what you think.'_

_He bent over a little to allow her to see his face._

_The pinwheels of his eyes spun slowly. Suddenly, she was certain. _

_'__I'll go with you.' _

'_That's a good girl.'_

_She watched in amazement as his eyes grew darker, and suddenly she was falling…_

* * *

_When she awoke, her hands were covered in blood and screams echoed in her ears._

_'A beautiful sacrifice, don't you think? __That's a good girl.'_

* * *

Sakura awoke as a gentle hand shook her arm. The kunoichi looked up blearily to see an eerily beautiful girl at her side, looking on impassively. _Who - ?_

"It's me, Yuugao. I let you take a break after training, but now it's time to go!"

"I just had this strangest dream..."

A shadow past over the face of Yuugao's avatar, but Sakura dismissed it. "Let's train."

Sakura's eyes brightened; she quickly forgot her troubled dreams as she stood. The sky glowed softly as the sun set over the mountains in Konoha, casting shadows in the pits Sakura and Yuugao created in their training. Earlier, their conversation with the Hokage had closed on a hopeful note as he departed to a meeting with the other village heads and the two left to spar.

Fighting the human form of Yuugao was like trying to hold the flow of a waterfall. Sakura presumed the ornate furisode kimono with its long sleeves would be cumbersome and heavy; she even offered the Nekomata her clothes to spar in. She declined – but even with the weighty silk donned, the demon lord was lithe.

The strictly tai-jutsu sparring was well-matched and intense, but the younger girl clearly held the upper hand. She was quicker and slippery in movement; Sakura struggled to even touch her while darting blows frequently landed on her arms and abdomen. They both noticed that their fighting styles (in human form) were similar, using more aerial and defensive movements than brash, outright hand-to-hand combat. When it came down to that, both were pretty efficient. But otherwise, they preferred to attack at range and occasionally dart in for a chakra-packed blow.

Of course, Sakura was exhausted after two hours and Yuugao knew that overexertion would be costly, so she 'allowed,' (as she humorously called it) Sakura to have some naps in between each session.

"Aren't you tired?" the kunoichi laughed weakly, panting out the question. She was already sitting at the base of a tree, curling up for a restorative sleep.

"I'm all right," the demon lord brushed her off airily. The human form dissipated and the astonished Sakura found herself looking at an elegant silver cat with the keenest gold eyes. The cat settled against Sakura's side with an air of ownership and closed its eyes with a purr.

"I'm _all right,_" Sakura snorted dubiously as she fell into a sleep filled with abstract flickers of colors and pictures, and fire.

Suddenly feeling uncomfortable – _What was that dream? – _Sakura turned to her companion as they walked to her home.

"So…you defended Konoha at one point in history, right?"

Yuugao stopped and faced Sakura, gesturing to a bench along the street.

"In the very beginning, I _hated_ Konoha," the girl said softly as they sat down. She avoided her gaze and stared at the bustling vendor across from them.

"My memories aren't so clear. In fact, I'm afraid that someone has tampered with them," she continued, tiptoeing around the _someone._

"But I still remember many things from my first days here. I came to love the people here. But they never loved me. They didn't _know _that it was 'me.' My body wasn't even my own."

"Were you human at one point? Or were you always a Nekomata?"

The pair of golden eyes - Sakura tried to remember where she had seen them, besides on the Nekomata - examined her.

"I don't remember," came the quiet answer. Sakura tensed; the demon lord was lying.

"But I've always had an affinity for Time. It wasn't as strong as it is now. Somehow, I came to be here…in a young girl's body. _This_ body – I can't recall my own, it's been that long. Of that particular girl, I…" she carefully said, "Cannot tell you. I'm sorry."

Sakura felt somehow, as if she was being denied some crucial information. She hid the slight hurt and questioned, "What happened, that endangered Konoha so?"

"At that time, Uchiha Madara was quite politically influential in Konoha's standing. There was much conflict between his Uchiha clan and the Senju clan, particularly Hashirama Senju."

"The first Hokage."

"Yes. I was also…influenced…by Uchiha Madara. But against his wishes, I allied with Hashirama because it _felt _right. His ideals were so much more…"

"Humane? Moral?"

"Exactly. In secret, I believed him to be a kinder and more qualified man than Madara. And so did the girl, my vessel. Eventually, civil war broke out in Konohagakure between those who supported the opponents. My host and I succeeded in escaping from Madara and joining Senju's allies. It was fierce, and she and I found ourselves fighting against loved ones. But in the end – we triumphed. At a loss."

Sakura waited for a moment and then inquired softly, "What loss?"

"She died," Yuugao said woodenly, staring at the hands of the bodily form she inhabited.

"You said something about a debt to the girl, of that body," Sakura recalled gently. "Back in the Hokage's office."

"Yes. She…saved me and destroyed me, at the same time. I can't say any more…"

"Who killed her?"

Yuugao laughed bitterly, a hollow and mocking shadow of mirth. "Oh, not just by any underling of Madara's. She was killed by the man himself."

Sakura felt shell-shocked. "W-what? But…how did you survive?"

"She weakened him enough. The moment her soul let go of her body, I was released, and he was too near-death to encase me. Senju, the only person who knew of my existence, kindly secured a mountain for me to live quietly, in secret, upon. And I stayed there, for a few centuries. Occasionally, each Hokage visited me, in his time, except for the Fourth. The Third was still alive, you see, and felt it was best to deal with Madara before telling the world about the demon lords. My brothers and sisters…"

The listener desperately wanted to hear more, but Yuugao abruptly stood up, still not looking directly at Sakura. She smiled vacantly. "Sleep is awaiting, kit." They left to go, and no more was said. But there was plenty heard – of broken dreams and secrets lingering in the silent, aged streets of Konoha.

* * *

Six days later, Haruno Sakura, found herself standing at Konoha's chuunin match stadium's back hallways.

_**Kit, calm down. We've trained for this, and even without all the work, you had the power to win.**_

_I can't help feeling so nervous, _Sakura said anxiously to the Nekomata presence, once again in her mind.

She shivered restlessly, and watched the other genin, qualified or not, gather and wish each other luck or seethe in envy. Spotting her team at the end of the hall, she waved and let out a call.

"Yo! Nervous, Sakura?"

"Yeah," she responded with mixed feelings. Was it possible to be confident and anxious at the same time? Well, she was feeling it.

"How was training with the boys?" she inquired, attempting to reflect the subject off of her.

Naruto made a sour face. "Kakashi-sensei took us to a place with a waterfall out of the blue. He didn't even bother telling us to pack!" For once, Sasuke and Naruto seemed to agree in their indignant righteousness against their sensei.

"I prefer my silence as a cue to be prepared," their teacher said drily. "Anyhow, that wasn't a _real _waterfall. That was just a place for training and meditating; the former for _you _and the latter for _Sasuke_.

Naruto sulked. "I train enough. You let Sasuke sit there and sleep in the water."

"That's impossible, dobe. All that rushing noise was as loud as you are," the said genin interjected. "Besides, I was _meditating._"

Kakashi turned to Sakura and lifted his shoulders in a mocking semblance of a confused parent. "See what I do to tailor their shinobi training? And all they do is complain!" As if on cue, Naruto wailed loudly, "I need a shower!" earning a few disgusted looks from the other teams nearby.

A horn blew from outside and the Teams flooded into the stadium, most of them marveling at the vast structure for the first time. Unlike Sakura's first visit, the stadium was completely empty of audience. At the center of the floor stood their Hokage, flanked by three other kages and four young ninjas.

"We have gathered here in continuation of the Genin Preliminaries," Konoha's leader announced solemnly. "In light of recent events, the tests have been customized to fit those who have been left without a rival genin to fight. Now – "

"What happened to those guys? And what's all the fuss about Orochimaru?" An impudent genin shouted.

"All questions will be answered in due time," Sarutobi continued calmly. "Now, from all of the villages' data, a 'form' of the average genin has been created."

He gestured to four genin standing beside him. Their faces were oddly blank, and they wore no defining village headband. They were equipped with regular shuriken and kunai pouches, but no other significant detail pointed them out from any other child.

"These are bunshins that have been 'given' the traits of the average genin. For," he looked at a slip of paper, "Hyuuga Neji, Hyuuga Hinata, Kankuro, and Rock Lee, the test will simply be to survive against these bunshins until their endurance expires."

"However," the Hokage added warningly, "they are unique in retaining one special ability, each. Just as real genin are unique in family jutsu or ability, each of these bunshins specialize in something different."

"That said," said the Mizukage, a kindly looking woman – "Let the Preliminaries resume!"

* * *

_To be continued…_

**And a long chapter as my apologies x) Thanks for reading, all of you! Many hugs and kisses.**


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